An Off Course Bet
by Eye Heart Music
Summary: An arrogant James Potter has to ask a shy Lily Evans out to Hogsmeade, on terms of a bet. When the bet ends, James is left with one big mess that he has to clean up. If he doesn't, James may just lose Lily forever.
1. Just As Free As A Hippogriff

**Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.**

**A/N: Hi, everyone. Revised: 7/11/06.**

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_Chapter One_

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Hello friends, enemies, trolls, banshee's, mum, jello unicorns, broomsticks. I'm James Potter. AKA-Merlin/never-follow-the-rules/best quidditch player ever/smart/brilliant/handsome (anyone could agree to that)/Minister of Magic.

Okay, maybe I'm not really Merlin and maybe I'm not the Minister of Magic, but I'm a great guy (anyone would agree to that too, by the way).

I will be going to to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, seventh year, in a week. Quidditch captain of the Gryffindor House team (I was made captain in 5th year, impressive?). Top student- well, I rival with Remus Lupin (one of my best friends,more on him later), Lily Evans (more on her later too), and a few others. I'm an animagus too. Cool, eh? Impressed? Ha, thought you would be.

I'm Head Boy.

Don't ask me how or why I got it, because I have no clue.

I don't even want it. Patrolling late at night with some girl, who's probably some stuck-up know-it-all (of course _I'm_ not stuck-up or a know-it-all) isn't on my list of favorite things to do. Neither is planning school activities or being in charge of stupid prefect meetings.

I found out about a month ago, at breakfast.

The news just hit me in the face. Literally, unfortunately.

**Breakfast, about a month ago. . .**

"Oh, look. An owl. James can you get it, dear? I have to go ask the house elves if they've found your father's missing sock yet. I don't know how that could have just disappeared." My mum asked.

My mum's cool actually. Well, until she hugs me or recalls some embarrassing moment when I was a tiny tot to my friends. Funny how she remembers that stuff just when my friends are around. . .

"Oh, I just remembered the time Jamie (my mum calls me Jamie, unfortunately) was four years old and ran around the quidditch pitch naked. It was so cute! He'd just finished his bath and ran out the bathroom door and to the pitch just as free as a hippogriff-"

Thanks, mum.

Other than that she's cool(also because she put's chocolate chunks in my pancakes. And when I say chocolate chunks I mean chocolate _chunks_. Not the measly chocolate _chips_ like Peter's mum puts in his. Take that Peter(more on Peter later)!).

"Okay." I replied. What else was I suppose to say? "Of course, I'll walk over and open the window, just for you, mother dearest!"? Don't think so. Besides, it was 8:00 in the morning. I can barely remember to blink in at the time of day much less give a snazzy reply to anyone.

She nodded and walked out of the kitchen and to the laundry room. To the house elves. We have house elves as you've already figured out. Interesting little guys. They can whip up one mean chocolate cake too. No offense, mum.

I got up and stumbled to window, stubbing my toe twice on the way. After unlatching the window the owl burst in the room dropping the letter right in my face.

Let me tell you. Being hit in the face by a roll of parchment just after you rolled your way out of bed is worse than you think. I swear there was a bump the size of a bludger right in the middle of my forehead for a week. Mum said there wasn't one there, so did dad. But parents are like that. They lie to you just to make you feel better. Or at least mine do. . .

"Oh, James that's a lovely drawing of a snitch!" Mum said to me when I was three and barely knew what a snitch was.

The picture (which, to my embarrassment, is permanently stuck right above the fireplace in the living room (I tried to take it down, but mum put a sticking charm on it, hence the word permanently)) is purple, first of all.

Dad has said before, many times, (thank Merlin never in front of any of my friends) that purple was my favorite color when I was little. I even asked to have my walls in my room to be made purple (lavender if you must know).

I deny it all the way.

All the way.

Besides, purple really doesn't match my eyes- Nevermind.

Anywho, we're getting off topic.

Who wants to know about a "lovely" purple drawing of a snitch that I drew when I was three? Although the texture of the picture was fairly good, it shows the softness of the right wing. Not too much purple here ,a bit too much purple there. . .nevermind. I'm beginning to sound like Professor Wicker, the muggle studies teacher, when she gets into one of her rants and raves about some muggle portrait.

It gets scary sometimes, I have to admit. She gets all red in the face and starts to pace (stomp, if you ask me) around the classroom breathing fast, pointing to the portrait. Telling about all muggle ways of painting.

It's especially scary when she see's something good about the portrait.

I pray, when she "discusses" paintings, that the portrait she's "discussing" is awful, just horrible. When the paintings are good and have "fine muggle qualities", she's just goes crazy with joy about them. Her voice goes all high pitch and she squeaks loudly to the class.

"Look at the details, class! Just look at it! Look! The green surrounding the red is just exquisite! Do you see the details here? Yes, right there. Aren't they marvelous? They're simply gorgeous! Look there, class! Look! That texture is just-"

_Spiffy._

When there's a bad looking painting with "bad quality muggle techinques" she gets all depressed and sits at her desk explaining the color and how they "just don't go together" and what not. Usually, we don't get homework on those days either.

When Professor Wicker isn't going crazy over sky blue and light blue mixed well to make the water, she's a pretty nice lady. A little strange, but nice in her own way.

I really don't know why I took that class. Well, I do.

Remus.

He said and I quote,"It'll be an inspiring journey through the muggle heritage."

Pfft. The only interesting thing about muggles is their process of making ice cream.

Mainly because we got to make ice cream in class. . .and then eat it.

Muggles are so boring. I don't know how they survive without magic.

Anyways, back to my head injury that was the size of a bludger. Just no one else could see it. It was there though.

The owl landed in my pancakes to my displeasure (which I didn't notice until after I'd conjured some ice for my head injury (I should have went to St. Mungo's, I know I should have)).

I shooed the stupid, pancake-stealing, pigeon(I'm still ticked off with it) away from my pancakes and continued eating, totally forgetting about the parchment, lying innocently on the floor, two feet away.

It wasn't till my mum came back from laundryland that I remember it.

After she nearly tripped over it. . .

"Jamie, dear, what did the owl bri- _AAAAHHHHH_!" She screamed as her foot slipped over the paper and she grabbed at the first thing closest to her.

The table cloth. On the table. With all the food. With the chocolate _chuck_ pancakes (not _chips_).

Mum was able to straighten herself before she fell, but the table cloth was a different story.

It went down.

Way down.

All the way down.

To the _floor_.

All of the wonderful chocolate chunk pancakes- wasted. They had a nice texture too. The pancakes peru color blended in so well with the saddle brown colored table cloth. . .sorry, another Wicker moment.

I stared wide eyed and open mouthed at the food. The color just clashed horribly with powder blue color floor, if you know what I mean. It was awful. . . another Wicker moment. Thank Merlin I'm not taking muggle studies this year.

"The pancakes. . ." I trailed off.

Mother Dearest, meanwhile, was staring at the roll of parchment, still laying innocently on the floor, a little syrup splattered on it.

She breathed in deeply, then out deeply,"James, is _this_ what the owl sent to us?" Mum asked, slowly bending down and picking the parchment up.

I look away from the food color clashing disaster and stared at the parchment.

My mouthed did a "oh" shape just before I laughed nervously,"Oh. . .yeah. That is. I must have forgotten about it. . ."

Mother shook her head and begin to open the parchment.

She silently mouthed words as she read the letter.

"What is it, mum?" I asked as I watched her gap at the parchment.

Instead of answering, she fainted.

That's right.

That goes to show just how much I'm not meant for the Head Boy job. My own mother doesn't think I'm cut out for it. Nice, eh?

Yeah. . .

I immediately knelt down next to her and grabbed the letter she had dropped in the mist of being shocked (or a very, very small heart attack, not sure).

My reaction?

Let's just say fifteen minutes later, when my dad came down to have a normal breakfast just like everyday he was suprised to see both his wife and son lying on the floor unconcious, surrounded by food (I saw later, as I looked in a mirror to check on my head injury, that there was some chocolate chunks in my hair, covered conveniently in syrup. Blimey, was that hard to get out).

I had fainted.

That never leaves the house.

Unless my mother remembers the event and decides to tell the oh-so-amusing story to my friends.

Thanks, mum.

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**(September 1st)**

After hugging my mum and dad goodbye (at home, not at the train stain) I apparated (got my apparation license this summer) to platform 9 3/4 to board the train to Hogwarts. Too many "to"s.

The Head Boy letter said that I had to get to the train station at least an hour and a half before it left, to help everyone get aboard, because everyone would be in a rush.

_Pfft._

I got there an hour before the train left and no one there. I was already hating this position. Usually, I'd make it to the train station just at 10:56 and run full speed ahead to the train. Just jumping aboard before the train was fully out the station.

The only other people around were Morriannabathatabatha Millington and Lily Evans.

Honestly.

Who names their kid Morriannabathatabatha?

What about a normal name like George? Or Mary? Or how about James? James is a good name, isn't it? Has a nice ring to it.

No, instead they come up with Morriannabathatabatha. I feel sorry for her. It would take forever just to write her name down, I bet (unless she can speed write, though, from what I know about her, I doubt she can speed write).

Morriannabathatabatha was. . .different. Nice enough, but different. Just like her name, I guess. Always asking questions.

"Is it raining?"

"Is that essay for Mcgongall due today?"

"Is it snowing?"

"Did you were matching socks today( she ask me that once, I was, just for the record, wearing matching socks)?"

"Is the sky blue today (when is ever anything else?)?"

"Is there a troll under my bed (Jill Baconcona swears she asked that once)?"

When she wasn't asking a zillion and one questions she was also very random. And opinionated.

Oh. _Merlin._

"That shirt doesn't go with your tie."

"You're horrid at charms, aren't you(thanks, Morriannabathatabatha)?"

"You're short(that's coming from Miss Shortie herself)."

"Oy, that's a _HUGE_ pimple right there in the middle of your forehead (thanks again, Morriannabathatabatha)."

I guess she's like Professor Wicker. Morriannabathatabatha is nice. In her own way. In her own different way. Very different way.

Good Ol' Morriannabathabatha was sitting on a bench next to Lily Evans having a chat.

Lily Evans.

Three words:

Quiet, nice, and studious.

Lily Evans was nice, really she was. She didn't have friends. Well, she did. Just she didn't have friends. They were more like acquaintances.

A friendly "hello" here. A wave there. A study session once and a while. Sure, she had a few people she'd talk to at lunch and stuff like that, but usually Lily Evans was a quiet person, who kept to herself.

I don't know why. Maybe she just liked doing essays and reading books, compared to going outside with friends and talking about your latest fancy (okay,us men don't do that, we talk about girls that are "hot" and who's going to set off the dungbomb. More mature, eh?) or playing a game of quidditch.

Okay, I was being sarcastic.

Who in the world- wait, scratch that- who in the universe likes to study? Not me. No, I prefer to set off dungbombs and draw purple snitches. . .pretend I didn't said that last part, alright?

Lily could be popular, I bet. I mean it's not like she's hideous or anything. And from being around her for six years, she seems to have a pretty good personality and all that stuff. If only she wasn't so _quiet_.

I bet she's even had a few blokes ask her out. Though, from what I've seen, unless she secretly goes out with someone, Lily's never gone out on a date.

Peter and Remus.

Hee hee.

They've fancied Lily at some point through the years (me and Sirius (more on Sirius later) haven't) (correction: _Sirius_ and _I_ haven't, happy Remus?)).

Peter began to have "deeper, more inspiring feelings"- that's how Remus put it. Sirius thought it was more like Peter turning into a tomato everytime she was in a five mile radius of him- for Lily way back when (second year, if you have to know).

Poor bloke. He didn't know about girls then (still doesn't, if you ask me). We all didn't. We were young and stupid. . .we're still young, but not stupid. Nah.

Actually, I think I've been a genius since birth. I just don't show it. You know, by wishing for purple walls in your room and running around naked "just as free as a hippogriff". Yep.

I really didn't notice girls till my dad told me. . .you know what I'm talking about. The Talk.

Yeah, The Talk.

Oh. Merlin.

I swear on my broomsticks grave I had nightmares for months after he told me.

I remember it perfectly. It was the morning after I had left Hogwarts for home at Christmas Break, third year. . .

"James, we need to talk." Good Ol' Dad said, sitting down on the edge of my bed as I was unpacking my trunk from Hogwarts.

"What about, dad?" I asked, pulling out an apple I had hurridly stuffed in there just after breakfast yesterday and taking a bite.

"Well about. . .things, James." He replied slowly.

"What things?" I asked.

"Girls."

"Girls? What about them?" I asked cluelessly. See, a hidden genius.

"Have you seen them lately, James?" Dad asked.

I raised an eyebrow, took another bite of my apple and replied,"Yeah, sure. I see them in classes, at lunch, by the lake, they're all over the place. Why? Have they changed lately?"

"Well, I'm sure they have. You know into young ladies." My dad replied slowly tossing around my snitch.

Don't ask how I got it. . .well, if you insist.

See, I had accidently kept the snitch after quidditch lessons in first year and somehow, you know, just didn't return it. Funny, eh?

That's how I became considered one of the "cool" kids. Because I accidently kept a snitch and somehow didn't find time to return.

That's how it all started. Amazing, I know.

"Young ladies?" I question, really confused now.

"Yes. There comes a time. . .in a girls life. . .when she changes. . .and. . .and- James can you stop chewing your apple?" My Dad asked.

I didn't think I was chewing that loud. Maybe Dad was just worked up with the whole Talk and everything.

"The girl changes, James. Her body changes and-"

I cut him off,"They look the same to me."

"Well, on the inside, James. You're changing, too."

"I look the same to me." I stated, looking at a reflection of myself in a window.

"Well, you start seeing things differently then before-"

I cut him off again,"You mean I'll see green or become color blind?" Another genius in the spotlight moment.

"No, you'll see people differently. Like girls, James. You'll start to feel differently about them. . ."

I tuned him out after that. Never was much of a talk-about-feelings-and-all-that-mushy-stuff kind of guy. Instead, I pulled out some no heat fireworks from my trunk and pretended like I was listening intently. I'm good at that. It wasn't until-

"When a man and a women love each other very much, they try to show their feelings for each other ". . .inserts rest of talk, because I don't want to scar anyone out there for life. . ."and that's how you were- James, no!" Dad yelled as I accidently set off the fireworks in shock from The Talk.

I was in horror. And to think my parents room was just three doors down. Ugh.

Back to the whole Peter and Remus thing.

Peter, poor guy, stumbled up to Lily one late afternoon and had just stuttered "W-Will Y-Y-You go-go t-to-" before he threw up. Right on Lily.

At least Lily was nice about it. I guess. Peter never has talked to her again.

Then there's Remus. He made a little better attempt than Peter, I'm happy to say.

"Lily, I was wondering if you'd like to study together (that's what Remus considers as dates, he doesn't date much) sometime."

Lily said yes to Remus, but had the wrong idea, I suppose. She thought he just wanted to study together. As friends. And that's how it's been since third year (when he asked her out). Never anything more. They still study together to this day. As friends.

Back to the present.

Lily Evans wasn't on my favorite list of people. Oh, sure, she was nice enough. Smart enough. A bit on the plain side, if you ask me. She just wasn't my type of person to be around. She was. . .boring to around. Always studying or reading about some dead wizard bloke that inventing a hair growth potion or some thing.

We've only spoken to each other occasionally during the six years of knowing each other.

"Pass the salt."

"Past the potatoes."

"Pass the jello."

"Good luck at the game." Lily was always at the Gryffindor quidditch matches to cheer the team on.

"Can I borrow a quill?"

Of course, Lily would always be polite and say "thank you" or "your welcome".

That's one thing that irritated me about her. She was perfect. The perfect role model. The perfect 17-year-old. The kind of kid every parent wanted. The kind of student every professor wanted.

For that she was teased by some. Not alot. And not very often. But every once and a while when a professor had just praised to the class for fifteen minutes about how wonderful she did on an essay. Then the teasing would come.

Lily would ignore it all and walk off with her precious books.

Of course, I doubt Lily acts liked this intentionally. I think it's just her nature to be so quiet and be a teacher's pet.

Really back to the present.

Lily looked like she was trying to be nice to Morriannabathatabatha as the girl asked a zillion and two questions a second and told her opinions.

I shook my head and turned away looking for someone, anyone else to talk to. No one. That's right. Morriannatabathatabatha Millington had some to talk to while James Potter the "cool" kid had no one.

Where were my fellow Marauders?

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**(10:50am)**

After settling in and putting my trunk away, I pinned my gleaming, gold Head Boy badge to my shirt and kind of pulled my jacket over it, so no one would see it. Mainly, so Sirius and my friends wouldn't see it.

That was one detail I left out over the summer from my friends. They'll never stop joking about it. Never. I know it.

Another reason I tried to hide my badge was so no one would come up and ask for help. . .even though that was why I was suppose to come early. To help people. But I didn't want to. I didn't want the job.

"James, my boy!" A voice yelled as I walked past the barrier between platform 9 and 3/4 and the muggle train station (yet again. We were suppose to also try and help any new students get through the barrier if they were having trouble).

I turned and grinned. I knew that voice.

"Sirius, my boy!" I exclaimed cheerfully as we exchanged a "manly" hug.

"What have you been up to while I was away? Nothing dangerous, I hope." He asked amused.

I looked around,"Oh, no. Nothing too dangerous. Have you seen the others?"

"You better have not, I don't want to miss out on the fun. Yeah, I've seen both. Their saying bye-bye on the other side." Sirius replied looking around as well."How long have you been here? Usually your not here until just after the train starts moving."

Oh, gillywig.

"Well, mum. . .wanted me to be here early this year. You know, since it's my last year and all." I told the truth. Sort of. Kind of. I just lefted out the small, tiny part about being Head Boy.

"Really?" He asked skepically.

"Oh, yeah- Remus,Peter!" I yelled, quickly changing the subject as Remus and Peter walked through the barrier with their trunks.

They searched around for moment beforing making their way over.

We also exchanged "manly" hugs. Then exchanged "manly" greetings.

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**(Still outside, since I'm still "helping" people)**

"So. . .any snazzy dates this summer, James?" Sirius asked, peering around the crowd.

I rolled my eyes,"No. You?"

I had only been on a few dates the past few years and only had a few real girlfriends. I could flirt and be charming though. I did that alot.

"Oh, no. Just, you know, spent my summer at the flat I got. Pretty nice. But,"Sirius said casually,"I had many offers."

"I bet." I replied and laughed with Remus and Peter.

Sirius wasn't big on dating either. More flirting and being charming. Like me. Sirius and me are a lot alike, you see.

"Do you want to?" Sirius asked after he had scowled at us enough, to stop us from laughing.

"What?" I asked confused.

"Do you want to make a bet?" He asked.

"A bet? What sort of bet?" I asked.

"I'll pick any girl, anyone. And you have to get them to go on a date with you in. . .four months, December first, before midnight- no bribing them and no telling them about the bet, though, James you little sneak. Think you can handle it?" He asked with a knowing grin.

I have never been one to turn down a dare or a bet.

"You're on. Get ready to lose. What's the stake?"

"If you lose, it's hundred galleons and all the Honeyduke's chocolate I want. If you win-"

I cut Sirius off,"The newest broomstick available, shooting star 5000. Oh, and a few 8 oz boxes of Honeyduke's chocolate." I said.

Sirius whistled,"Blimey, mate. I'm not the richest person alive, you know. By the time, I could get that broomstick it'll already be long gone and history."

"Doubtful, are we?" I asked with a smirk. Remus and Peter looked at Sirius.

"No. Just saying. . .anyways, your dream date will be. . ." Sirius trailed off searching the station for my "dream date". Remus, Peter, and I watched his gaze until it landed on where Morriannabathatabatha and Lily were standing talking with the trolley lady. Huh, Lily hadn't got rid of Morrianna yet. Poor Lily.

My eyes widened and I stepped back,"No way. No way. I am not going on a date with Morriannabathatabatha Millington, no way. No broomstick or chocolate is worth it."

Sirius smirked at me,"Who said I was thinking of Millington?"

"What?" I asked confused, then the pieces of the puzzle began to come together.

Lily Evans.

He wanted me to woo Lily Evans into a date.

Piece of cauldron cake.

She was too nice to say "no". Too nice.

I can already imagine flying around on the shooting star 5000, impressing everyone around me. . .

"Look at him! Look at how he flies!"

"The midnight blue sky color really goes with his hair color, don't you think?"

"Wow!"

"Hello? James? Already thinking about all the money you're going to lose, are you?" Sirius asked waving a hand in front of my face.

I shook myself from the wonderful day dream,"This'll be a piece of cauldron cake."

I glanced at Lily, who had finally gotten rid of Morrianna and was now helping a first year to the train, smiling kindly to him.

This was too easy. Get ready to lose Sirius.

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**A/N: Just to let everyone know, this isn't James' diary or journal or anything. Just his point of view. Revised: 7/11/06**

**Eye Heart Music**


	2. Pigman and A Bag of Rocks

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I know you're just so suprised by this news. -Rolls eyes-**

**A/N:Hello, Readers (future reviewers, maybe-wink,wink-), it is a rainy, lazy Wednesday afternoon. Perfect time to revise some story chapters, eh? Revised: 7/12/06**

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_Chapter Two_

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"Get to know her first, James. None of this walk-up-to-her-grab-her-snog-her-then-ask-for-a-date nonsense. Lily's not that type of person." He says.

Pfft.

Like that's what I was going to do. . .I had a. . .different plan. . .

Okay. . .maybe that _was_ my plan. . .

But this is coming from Mr. Guy-Who-Thinks-Dates-Are-Sitting-In-The-Stuffy-Library-Studying.

"This is coming from Mr. Guy-Who-Thinks-Dates-Are-Sitting-In-The-Stuffy-Library-Studying. Remus, if you think for one minute I'm going to sit around in the library with Pince breathing down my neck, trying to "get to know" Lily, you're wrong." I replied.

Remus rolled his eyes, while Peter and Sirius snickered.

Peter, actually, sounded like a pig. Snorting and making those funny "oink, oink" noises or whatever they make. He's always been that way. He even turns a bit pink from oinking and snorting for too long.

But my laugh sounds way different. My laugh's "cool". Just like me. It sounds like "tinkling bells" as Remus would probably say.

_Anyways._

"James, Sirius isn't stupid. . .well, when his brain's not on vacation or away, he isn't. Which, when I think about, Sirius' brain is on vacation quite a lot." Remus ducked as an empty chocolate frog box was thrown his way.

"What I'm trying say is that he wouldn't go and choose some stupid, er, as you would probably put it, "airhead" that would immediately say 'Oh, James, I would absolutely _LOVE_ to go on a date with you, then we can go snog, then we can go get married, then we can have a bunch of miniature airheaded James' and Jamie's." Remus finished at last.

Remus has this thing about talking. After saying about four sentences and without stopping his left eye starts to twitch. It keeps twitching even more violently, until his eyes hardly open at all.

I asked him why once.

The reply was a nice bump on the forehead. That was the size of a quaffle.

Really, it was.

The rest of the Marauders agreed. Well, Peter thought it was the size of a bludger, but I had seen many bludgers in my days of living, you know, being an experienced quidditch player and all, and the bump just wasn't the size of a bludger.

That's the difference between parents and friends- or at least mine.

My friends do the exact opposite of my parents and tell the truth, therefore NOT making me feel better. . .

"James, for the love of Merlin, put those stupid idiotic earmuffs away. They make your head look even bigger."

Or. . .

"You drew a purple snitch, mate! A _purple_ one. You are such a _pansy_! Not to mention it looks like a rotten, purple banana more than a purple snitch. . ."

I was three. I wasn't a pansy. I was _three._ That's all.

I grudgingly, in my mind agreed, somewhat, to what Remus said. Sirius wouldn't risk losing this bet, he wouldn't go choose, as Remus oh-so-nicely put it, "a stupid airhead". I still argued, in my mind, though, that Lily Evans would be easy to get to agree to a date.

I mean why would she say no?

She's better than Morriannabathatabatha Millington, at least.

"Why would she say no?" I asked cluelessly.

The other three snorted (Pigman snorted the loudest) and rolled their eyes.

"What?" I asked.

"James, Lily isn't that type. . .really, she isn't _your_ type. Believe me. I've studied with her for-"

I cut Remus off,"Don't you mean, dated her?" I asked in amusement.

Remus scowled at me,"Ha-ha-ha. As I was saying, I know Lily. She's not that type of person. Take my advise and get to know her first. You'll have a better chance at winning the bet."

Sirius gasped at Remus,"You're helping him win the bet? Mr. Moneybags, himself? Do you know how much I would have to pay if he won the bet? Do you, Remus?"

"Oh, be quiet, Sirius. I said he'd have a better chance at winning the bet. I didn't say he would." Remus replied.

Sirius looked satisfied, smiling smugly at me.

"What's that suppose to mean?" I asked, staring at Remus.

"Oh, nothing." He replied.

"You know," I said standing up quickly, glaring at my "friends","I have to get to the Heads meeting right now and. . .oops." I trailed off.

Pigman, Sirius, and Remus stared at me in bewilderment.

"The Heads meeting? Since when do you go to them? They're only for heads. . ." Pigman trailed off, confused.

Remus smacked him over the head and scoffed,"Honestly, Peter."

"What?" Pigman asked, still confused.

Sirius smirked and looked at James,while saying,"Don't you get it? Our one and only Prong's is Head Boy."

Pigman's eyes widened and his mouth fell open,"_You're_ Head Hoy?"

I glared at Peter,". . .Yes. . .don't ask me how-"

"How do you get that?" Peter asked, not paying attention to my previous statement.

"I don't know! Ask Dumbledore!" WIth that, I promptly stomped my foot, like a four-year-old, who didn't get to be "just as free as a hippogriff" or something and stormed off.

To the Heads compartment.

Where ever that was. . .

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"How many bloody compartments are on this bloody train?" I asked myself.

It seemed like an hour had gone by since I stomped off to the head compartment, only to get lost and find a bag of rocks lying in the middle of the aisle.

Who just leaves a bag of rocks in the middle of the aisle?

Who just leaves a bag of anything in the middle of the aisle (Well, Sirius and I left a bag of dungbombs in the middle of the aisle, but that was for "special purposes" only)?

Who has a bag of rocks, anyway (Pigman has a bag of rocks in his trunk,don't ask why though). . .Pigman! That might have been his rocks!

Oh well, he'll have to go collect some more rocks. I threw them out a window, which somehow blew back in the window. . .rocks don't really _blow around_, but those rocks did.

Now, I have a bump the size of eight snitches put together, okay, maybe just four put together. Right in the middle of my forehead. I'm going to have a permenant knot on my forehead if this keeps happening.

Anyways, back to being lost.

The way I figure it, I'm about five minutes late for the Heads meeting. I don't have a watch on and I can't find anyone who does. Actually, I haven't seen anyone- anywhere.

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Talking!

Signs of life!

Looking through a glass window of a rather large compartment, I see a whole bunch of people sitting down, appearing to be listening to someone. I could hear that someone talking about. . .patroling!

This was definitely it.

Smoothly, I open the door, a small grin on my face.

Everyone turned to me, staring, not saying a word.

What is it?

Do I have a bogey hanging from my nose?

Oh, maybe it's just my four snitches size bump. . .

How could anyone not notice my battle wounds?

Silence. . .

I looked around, surveying the group.

There was Remus and Mark Erg. Also Julia Grapie, Greg Broken- oh and if it isn't Stay Put.

Stupid name.

Carol Veela (she sure didn't look like a veela), Peter Baconcona (brother of Jill Baconcona), Lily Evans, Timmy Tibbles, Reneer Pop. . .

The list goes on.

"Well, er, sorry, I'm late. I'm James Potter, Head Boy. Let's continue." I greeted, sitting next to some short boy, who kept wheezing things to himself.

Bit annoying really. . .very annoying. . .

To my suprise, Lily Evans cleared her throat and open her mouth,"Well, okay. Thanks for. . .showing up. . .okay, everyone, the meetings over."

Oops.

I'd missed it all.

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After all the prefects shuffled and pushed each other out of the heads compartment, it left Remus, Lily, and I.

"Congratulations, Lily. For becoming Head Girl, I mean." Remus put in after a few seconds of silence. He looked at me with raised eyebrows, nodding in Lily's direction discreetly.

"_Oh_! Oh, yeah, that's great, Lily. Great job." I said, grinning at her.

Lily was sitting across from us, holding a rather thick book and some parchment, staring with a curious look (at us),". . .Thanks. Congratulations to both of you as well."

"Thanks. . ." We both replied.

Silence again.

Remus cleared his throat loudly and stood up,"Well, it would be best if I left, you never know what the idiot twins are going to do." He said with a smiling, walking to the door,"Maybe you should stay and talk with Lily about duties, James. You know ,since you got here, er, late."

"Yeah, maybe I should." I replied, looking over at Lily.

"Yes, I suppose so." Lily spoke.

"Okay, well, bye James. Lily." He said with a nod.

"See you." I said back.

"Bye." Lily said, with a slight smile on her face. She hugged her books to her chest and turned to me once more.

"So. . ." I said sitting up straight.

"There's not much to being head boy, really. We patrol together every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 to 10:00. The rest of the days are for prefects to patrol. The teachers are on patrol every night though." Lily explained, looking down at a sheet of paper, that apparently had rules and instructions.

I nodded slowly, slouching slightly. Boring. . .so boring. . .I just want to leave. Why did I agree to this bet? Oh, yeah, because I was being an idiot at the time. A smart idiot, though, just for the record.

"Um, we have the authority to give out detentions to people who deserve detentions. We can't abuse that." LIly added, after seeing the Oooh-Goody! look on my face."Also, we can take away points from houses. That also can't be abused. We have meetings with the prefects every two weeks and have to plan at least one school event this year." Lily finished rolling up the parchment and stuffing it in a bag at her feet.

"Right. Not much at all! Well, this is going to be a great year, eh?" I asked, smiling charmingly at her,"You and me together; we'll be unstoppable!"

Lily nodded, a pleasant, yet somewhat hesitant smile on her face,"Yes."

This wasn't working.

"You'll be a great Head Girl, I'm sure of that." I added.

"Thank you." Lily replied.

Silence.

Lily glanced at the door, biting her lip,"Well, I think I'm going to head back to my compartment." She said standing up.

Wait, no! This wasn't how it was suppose to happen. She's already leaving!

I stood up as well,"You could come sit with me and my friends if you want." I wince inwardly.

I moved closer to her. Maybe I should try my original plan. You know, the walk-up-to-her-snog-her-then-ask-for-date one. It has a whopping one percent (getting slimer by the second) chance of working, but you've got to try once and a while.

She stepped back some and stared at me before turning back to the door, walking for it,"No thanks. Bye James. I'll see you tonight at patrol."

She left.

She left.

She left.

I'm still not comprehending it.

_She left_.

Lily just walked away from me and declined a wonderful offer of staying in my compartment.

Maybe Sirius isn't stupid after. . .

Maybe he's a secret genius like me. . .

Nah. . .

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"So. How'd it go, Bighead Boy?" Sirius asked slyly, as I walked into the compartment.

I purposefully stepped on his foot as I walk to my sit, by the window,"Oh, it went well. Very quick too."

Remus laughed and shook his head,"Because you got there right at the end of the meeting. What? Did you get lost or something?" He asked.

"No." I replied quickly,"I had to deal with some serious situations, that's all. That's my Heads Duties now, you know." You know, like throwing a bag of rocks out a train window and getting hit by them in the forehead seconds afterward.

Smooth, James.

"How'd you get that bump?" Pigman asked, tilting his head as he stared at my forehead.

"Oh, you know, just bumped my head on a luggage rack. I got taller this summer, you now." I replied.

"You're lieing." Remus spoke up.

"How'd you kn. . .What are you talkng about?"

"You kept saying "you know", which naturally means your lieing. It's a habit I've noticed over the years." Remus replied smugly.

"Good observing, Moony!" Sirius congratulated.

"Thanks."

Sirius turned to me and smirked slyly,"I heard that Evans is the Head Girl,how'd it go? You two already planning your wonderful day out?" He asked sarcastically.

"No, but it went just fine, you know- dammit!" I cursed as "you know" slipped from my mouth again.

The rest chuckled.

"So how'd it really go, James? Did you ask her out?" Peter asked.

I looked out the window,"No. She explained what the Heads Duties were, then got up and left."

"That's it?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, you kn- nutters." I somehow forgot to mention the small detail of me asking her to join me in the compartment. Oh, well.

Remus noticed my mistake,"What did you do, James?"

"Nothing. . .I asked her to compartment here, but she said she had other plans. No big deal, you know- bloody Merlin. . .!" I exclaimed, running a hand through my hair.

"She walked out on you, didn't she?" Sirius asked, shaking with silent laughter.

"No. She just- Lily just left the compartment before me, that's all." I argued.

"Isn't that walking out on you?" Pigman asked.

"No, there's a difference, you know. . .argh!" I groaned.

"She walked out on you!" Sirius exclaimed.

"No, you know, she didn't- blooming gillywig!"

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"Hi, Lily." I greeted with forced cheerfulness later at 10:00pm that night, just outside the portrait hole. We had patrol.

I was not looking forward to this. At all.

Here it was, the first night back. I was tired and just wanted to fall on to a bed and sleep, instead I'm stuck patroling with Lily Boring Evans. I had to pretend to be happy about it too!

Lily gave me a small smile,"Hello, James. You made it on time."

"Yeah." I replied and started walking with Lily following at my side.

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"Hey, Lily?" I asked, twenty minutes later, after a long silence. A _very_ long silence, in my opinion.

"Yes?" She asked politely.

"Have you ever been on a date before?" I asked, looking sideways at her.

I decided to spring the question on her, maybe to surprise her into a "yes" if I asked her.

Wait- I'm not doubting this!

She'll say yes, you know, oh for the love of Merlin!

Great, now I was lieing to myself.

Lily peered into the dark hallway,"No."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because no one's asked." She answered indifferently. She didn't sound upset or embarrassed.

"Well, Peter tried to ask. . ." I trailed off with a lopsided grin on my face.

Lily smiled,"That's what he was going to ask?" That's all she said.

I decided to leave out Remus asking her for a date. They were still studying together and, being the great friend I am, decided not to make it awkward for Remus.

"Yep. . .would you say yes if someone asked you right now?" I asked.

Lily's eyebrow furrowed as she looked at the stone floor,"It depends on who asks."

I looked away.

Should I ask?

Would she say yes?

I hadn't exactly treated her the best over the years. I hardly ever talking to her, teasing her a few times, taking her precious books from her occasionally.

It might seem suspious to just ask out of the blue. Lily's smart. She could figure it out, if she had enough clues.

I sighed, realizing that this could take longer than I thought and that Remus' plan might be the right plan.

"Oh." I replied bluntly.

Silence.

Can't this girl talk once and a while? She's making me do all the work here. Which is quite hard considering it's hard to think of anything normal to say in front of Lily Evans.

"So, what are you going to do after Hogwarts?" I asked.

Lily didn't answer for moment, looking thoughtful,"I'm not sure."

Woah.

Lily Evans didn't have a step-by-step plan for after Hogwarts. That just seemed so unreal.

Lily Evans was always prepared.

"I don't know for sure yet ,either. An auror, maybe. Or work at the ministry." I replied after silence again.

"That's nice." She replied.

I rolled my eyes and looked out a nearby window.

I gave another go at this "get to know her first" thing Remus was talking about,"What's your favorite color?"

Lame, I know, but I think with all the boredom it was decreasing my imagination.

Lily glanced at me with an odd look,"Purple."

I chuckled,"What a coincedience." He muttered to himself.

"Hmmm?" Lily asked, looking ahead again.

"Oh, nothing. My favorite color is blue." I replied.

There was no way I was going to tell Lily Evans that my favorite color, when I was younger was purple.

Crap- I denied that my favorite color was purple! Which it most certainly is not my favorite color.

Blue is. Blue is a manly color. Blue's good.

Lily only nodded this time.

Maybe Morriannabathatabatha Millington would have been better. At least she talks.

I looked down Lily.

She was average height, maybe a bit smaller, with long flaming red hair. It had always been long like that.

Lily had bright green eyes, they were. . .nice. A unique color.

I yawned and stretched. Good grief, how boring can it get?

"So, what activity should we have?" Lily spoke suddenly.

I nearly jumped out my skin just then. She actually started a conversation, instead of the other way around.

I shrugged,"A ball, maybe?"

"That's a good idea. When?" Lily asked.

"You choose."

"Maybe around the beginning of December. A winter ball. Before Christmas break, so that everyone can come." She planned.

"Sounds good to me." I replied,not really paying attention.

"Good. I guess we can meet sometime this week or next week to write out the details for it, then present it to Professor Dumbledore." Lily said, a smile on her face now.

Yay. We get to plan a ball. Then present it to Professor Dumbledore. How exciting.

I'm not being sarcastic.

I was sarcastic in that last sentence.

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"I'm here." I wheezed loudly as I stopped in front of Lily, who was sitting neatly at a table in the dragon section of the library.

It was Wednesday of the first week of school, I6 just finished quidditch practice and had to run all the way to the library, knocking over three suits of armor, a first year, peeves, and Professor Flitwick on the way.

Pulling a chair out, I slumped down in a chair across from Lily, dropping my bag next to me.

Lily had a pleasant look on her face,"Yes, you are. Quidditch practice nice?"

I attempted to catch my breath for a few seconds before replying,"Oh, yeah. It was great."

"Good."

"Great."

"Okay, well, let's get started." Lily said, pulling a piece of parchment and quill, which were neatly put aside, to her. "Who should this be for?"

"Who should this be for?" I asked in confusion.

It's for the students, duh.

"Yes."

"The students." I replied.

Lily half smiled,"No, should it be for all years or for just certain years?"

Oh, duh.

"I think we should have it for fifth years and up, the rest can have parties in their common rooms." I replied.

"Alright. Attire?"

"Uh, dress robes?"

"That sounds good." Lily replied, scribbling down dress robes, neatly, under "Attire".

"Should we have music?" I asked.

"I think so. How would someone dance without music?" Lily asked somewhat amused.

"You can dance without music." I protested, although, I really can't dance at all. With or without music.

LIly just looked down at the parchment,"What band should we get?"

"The Rocking Warlocks?" I asked, beginning to slouch over on the table, my elbow propped up. I didn't want this stupid job. . .and yet. . .here I am. . .

"Okay. . .Rocking Warlocks." Lily repeated slowly to herself as she wrote it down,"Food?"

That got my attention.

"Why don't we just ask the house elves to come up with some wintery theme food or something?" I asked.

Lily nodded wordlessly, writing it down.

At least she agrees with me.

"Decorations?" She asked, looking up.

"Christmas colors?" I asked.

"That's good." Lily replied, writing that down too.

I yawned and leaned over her parchment reading it to myself. This was so pointless.

"And last, the date? How about the first? I think there's a Hogsmeade weekend just before that." Lily said.

What a coincedience. That was when the bet was up. "Okay, sounds good."

"We just need to present this to Professor Dumbledore and we'll have this out of the way for a while." Lily explained, putting her stuff away neatly and standing up.

I stood up as well, ready to shoot out of here,"Okay, great. I guess I'll. . ." I trailed off, realizing I shouldn't leave now, but instead, "get to know" Lily. "I'll walk back to the common room."

"Okay." Was all she said walking to the library exit.

I hastily walked with her,"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Girls' dorm." Lily answered.

"I'll walk with you then." I replied,"Well, to the common room, since, you know, I can't go to the girls' dorm." I said with a laugh.

She let out a small laugh, but said nothing.

This was going to be a long walk.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, how's the bet going, James?" Sirius asked slyly as I bid Lily good-bye at the bottom of the girls stairs and walked quickly away.

"It's doing just fine, thanks." I replied.

"Is it then?" Remus asked.

"Yes, you know, it is- blooming gillywig!" I exclaimed, putting my head in my hands.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N: Revised: 7/11/06**

**Eye Heart Music**


	3. Spinach and Cardboard Lollipops

**Disclaimer:I don't own anything. I seriously doubt I ever will. . .**

**Revised: 7/30/06**

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_Chapter Three_

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**Three Days Later, Dinner**

Ew. . .

Who in their right minds eats spinach?

. . .Well, Peter does. . .but Peter eats anything that can stay still long enough. . .

Gross. Sirius can dare me to try to get a date with Lily Evans, but he cannot dare me to eat even one bite of spinach. No way.

"Are you scared, James?" Sirius asked slyly.

I huffed. Really.

I am not _scared._

James Potter doesn't get scared. . .Well, except when pudding fairies and Sirius' underwear are involved. Then things get really scary. But I'm not going to in-depth with that. Maybe when mum is having one of her embarrassing recall moments, will I even think of bringing pudding fairies and Sirius' underwear.

Where was I? Oh yeah, Sirius daring me to eat the gross green mush called spinach.

"I'm not scared. I just don't want to choked to death while trying to swallow the disgusting stuff." I replied hotly, poking, with a pinched nose, at the spinach Sirius spooned to my plate in front of me.

"I happen to find spinach very refreshing." Peter put in, sneaking a bit of spinach off my plate and on to his.

"You also find eating cardboard lollipops very refreshing." Remus said.

Sirius and I snickered.

"Hey!" Peter exclaimed,"I thought it was real, okay? It looked real!"

"Peter it said,"Display only" in big black-"

"They were indigo, Remus." Sirius replied.

Remus rolled his eyes and sighed,"-in big indigo letters!"

"So? I thought it was part of the design." Peter replied simply, then swallowed down a forkful of spinach.

Remus seemed to have given up and returned to his pumpkin pie without whipped cream.

Can you believe that?

No whipped cream!

I ask Remus why he didn't put whipped cream on his pumpkin pie or on anything actually.

He said it was fattening and besides he was allergic. It would just make him fat and what was the point? He also said that I should lay off the whipped cream because I was looking on the heavy side lately, not that there was anything wrong with that. And would I get off my fat arse and do something productive with my life. . .And stop pestering him about food so he could study for exam on The Goblin Revolution in History of Magic.

It was two days before the full moon, by the way.

Remus gets a little edgy around that time because of his, you know, furry little problem.

Acts like a bloody girl during that time of the month if you ask me. . .just don't tell Remus I said that. Actually, don't tell anyone, especially Sirius and Peter- AKA: Blabber Mouth One and Two. If Remus found out I said that, especially around full moon time, oh Merlin, I am so dead.

Anyways, after Remus went back to his pumpkin pie without whipped cream and Peter went back to "secretly" borrowing spinach off my plate and "secretly" borrowing chicken off of a nearby third year's plate. Leaving Sirius to daring me to eat the spinach.

"Come on, just a bite." Sirius persisted.

"Why are you so anxious about me eating spinach?" I asked suspiously.

"Because it's funny to see your face when you swallow it." He replied.

Okay, I have eatten spinach before. Once. Then I vowed it would be the last time. Just like when I six-years-old and vowed never to eat my mom's sugar cookie dough raw again after a rather unhappy visit to the bathroom.

_Poof_- Wait, Poof! sounds pansy-ish. . .Is that a word? Oh well. How about. . .Boom! Yeah, so much more manly.

_Boom!_

Four days later I broke my vow had another unhappy visit to the bathroom and two hours later an even more unhappier visit to St. Mungo's.

"Your such a chicken, James! It's just spinach!" Sirius said.

I sighed. Sirius would never stop pestering me till I eat the stupid mush. "Alright. . ."

"Good. Hee hee hee hee. . ." Sirius started cackling quietly to himself. Apparently not to himself enough since half of the Gryffindor table heard him.

Just duck your head under the table, James, and pretend you don't know him. You have no idea who this raving mad cackling idiot is. No idea.

Seems to have worked, the half of the table that heard Sirius has gone back to their dinner.

"Alright, James, eat up." Sirius said slyly, pushing the plate closer to me.

"Yeah, yeah." I muttered moodily.

Remus and Peter looked up from their non-whipped cream pumpkin pie and borrowed spinach plus borrowed chicken, to me.

I gulp and slowly pick up my fork and delicately pick at the spinach for a while.

"Oh, for the love of jello, James! Just get a forkful of the bloody spinach and put it in your mouth. Then chew and swallow. Really simple." Sirius said impatiently.

I glared at him and took a small sliver of spinach and ever so slowly put it in my mouth, not chewing it, instead just gulped it down. "There. I did it."

"You got a little bit. You're scared of spinach!" Sirius stated before bursting out in laughter.

Oh, no.

Duck and cover again, James. People are looking over. Pretend you don't know him. Don't know him. No clue.

"You are such a wuss!" Sirius said to me.

That got me mad.

I, James Potter, am not a _wuss_.

That's why, a second after, in front of everyone watching, I got a bulging forkful of spinach and stuffed it in my mouth, chewing and swallowing. The whole broomstick.

I looked up in my fellow Marauders faces with a triumphment look, cheeks bulging with spinach.

"Ew, James. I know Sirius was egging you on, but did you really have to eat that much?" Remus asked in disgust.

"Ha-ha, you actually ate the mushy crap! Ha-ha!" Sirius said laughing his big head off.

"It's great, isn't it?" Peter asked brightly.

That's when it happened.

During the whole minute or so I had chewed the spinach I hadn't even thought about how it tasted, only thinking about the defeated look on Sirius' face. Peter brought me back to reality. And, boy, was reality gross.

"Ugh!" I moaned choking and gulping the spinach.

"Er, James. . ." Remus started.

"Not now, Remus. Can't you see I'm a bit busy here?" I asked, or at least tried to asked through all of the spinach.

"But James. . ." Remus started again, looking behind me.

I ignored him.

"James, Lily's behind you. . ." Sirius said, also looking behind me.

I snorted. . .tried to snort,"You can't trick me, Sirius. Like Lily's behind. . ." Or "Yan cun'p trap my, Savious. Lake Luly's bayhand. . ." I trailed off as I glanced behind me.

To see, who else, but Lily Evans.

I groaned inwardly, still gulping down the last of the mush.

Just what I needed.

Lily Evans to be standing right behind me as I acted like a complete idiot gulping down a bunch of spinach.

Silence.

I cough a bit and drink down some pumpkin juice. "Er, hello, Lily. How are you today?"

Lily stood behind me with a small smile on her face, a dusty book clutched to her chest. "Hello, James. I'm alright." She nodded to the rest of the Marauders meekly.

Peter nodded back to Lily.

"Hey, Lils. Can I call you Lils?" Sirius asked, grinning up at Lily playfully.

"Hi, Lily. Ignore him, just ignore him." Remus said pointing to Sirius.

Lily smiled at the three and then turned back to me,"We need to present our heads ideas to the Headmaster soon. . ." She trailed off.

"Oh, right. . ." I said deflatedly. The heads ideas. So much fun.

"Yes, well, I thought I'd remind you. . .you have spinach on your chin." Lily said pointing to her own chin then to mine.

"Oh." I said quickly, brushing the green gross stuff off, embarrassed.

Silence.

"Well, I'd best be going now." Lily said and turned to leave.

I bit my lip,"Hey, Lily!"

Lily stopped and turned to me questionably.

"Do you want to eat dinner with me. . .and my friends?" I added after a shove in the back by Sirius.

Lily raised an eyebrow for moment, staring at me,"Well, I was actually heading to the library to finished up some essays-"

"Ah, come on, Lily. You need to eat something." I cut in.

"I already did." Lily pointed out.

My shoulder sagged and I sighed quietly. Why couldn't she just agreed to eat with us and not go bury herself in books at the library? I had to "get to know her".

"Well, you can eat again. . .we haven't really ever talked much and we _are_ Heads. . ."

Lily tilted her head at me and just stared, clutching her book tighter. ". . .Alright. . ."

"Great!" I said, making Peter move over to make room for Lily.

Lily walk to back over to us and sat down next to Peter and I.

Silence.

"So, Lily, do you like quidditch?" Sirius asked brightly.

Lily looked up from her book she had open on the table,"Oh, it fairly interesting. I like watching it. I don't think I'd ever play the game though."

Sirius nodded his head and said nothing.

Ha!

Here's someone that can render Sirius speechless. Ten points to Lily Evans!

Silence.

"Do you like chocolate frogs?" Sirius tried again.

"Yes, I do." LIly replied politely.

"That's great. I do too. So does Peter and Remus and, wow, James does too! What a concidence!" Sirius replied enthusiasically.

Geez, Sirius is a great pal, isn't he? It seems like he's trying help me out with the bet. . .

. . .Wait, something's wrong here. Sirius wouldn't help me win this bet! What's the prat up to?

Lily looked over at me, nodding her head,"That's. . .nice, Sirius."

"Oh, yes it is, isn't it? Do you know what else James likes?" Sirius asked.

Oh, holy mandrakes. What is he going to do?

Lily shook her head.

"James, buddy, here likes the color purple!" Sirius replied,grinning at me.

Oh, Sirius, you wanker, I'm going to kill you! That's not fair! It's cheating! He's interfering with the bet, he can't do that!

Remus and Peter snickered behind their forks.

Lily smiled.

I had never seen that smile before though.

It was a different one.

It wasn't one of those polite smiles or one of those small knowing smiles. Or one of those force ones. Just a smile.

. . .Ok, well, moving off the subject of Lily's smiles. . .

"Don't listen to him, Lily! I don't like purple! I've already told you during patrol that blue is my favorite color, not purple." I stated, kicking Sirius under the table.

"What's wrong with purple?" Was Lily's question.

Peter and Remus stopped snickering, Sirius stopped craddling his knee and I stopped glaring at Sirius, to stare at Lily.

"What's wrong with purple?" I repeated.

"Yes. I like the color purple." Lily stated more bold then she usually was.

I grinned at Sirius. He scowled in return.

"Oh well, nothing is wrong with purple. Nothing at all! In fact it's the best color ever." I replied happily.

"You just said-"

I cut her off,"Oh, but I meant that purple was my second favorite color, right after blue."

Lily stared at me with a smile, then started chuckling.

Wow, that doesn't happen very often.

Chuckling, I mean.

She stares at me, probably because of my charming good looks or my dashing personality.

Or possibly just because that's what she does.

Lily stares at people alot. Just stares at them with this knowing look on her face.

Anyways. . .

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**The Next Day, Charms**

"Hi, James."

"Oh, hi Sarah." I greeted to Sarah and her two other friends, Belinda and Melinda or was it Relinda and Linda? I can never remember their names. Their twins by the way.

It was charms, the last class of the day. Class wouldn't be starting for another ten minutes.

I know.

The Marauders, or at least three of them, getting to class early.

Pfft, is the world ending?

Sirius was in Filch's office for setting off some dung bombs off in a girl's lavatory. He left the rest of us out. Can you believe that?

Sarah was nice enough, not the brightest though. Neither were her friends. Very pretty, no denying that.

"So, how's working with Lily Evans going?" She asked as she and her friends sat down in the desk in front of me. . .oh, and Remus and Peter. Forgot them.

"Okay, I guess." I replied, pulling out my charms book.

"I feel bad for you. It must be dull. She doesn't talk much, does she?" Sarah asked.

Sarah was right. Lily didn't talk much. Except for at dinner last night. She had talked more than I'd ever seen her talk. . .which wasn't that much talking, but more than the usual "yes" and "no" replies. It seemed though if she talked a bit more and did less work she wouldn't be that bad.

"Yeah, I guess." I replied again.

"You guess? I've been her dorm mate for seven years. The longest sentence she's ever said to me is, "The bathroom's free"." Belinda and Melinda or Linda or. . .or the twin people laughed as Sarah smirked.

I laughed some too, Remus frowned some, and Peter, always doing what the majority did, laughed with us.

"And she's always carrying around her precious books. Who would do something like that?" Sarah asked with a laugh. The Linda Twins laughed with her.

"Oh, people with actually brains." Remus muttered to himself. He carried around books. I don't think Remus really likes Sarah or the Linda Twins. . .

"What was that, Remus?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, nothing." Remus replied, pulling out his charms book out and began reading it.

"All she does is work and reading. She doesn't have a social life. I swear she spends more time in the library then she does sleeping and eating combined. . .she is skinny." Sarah went on. "Lily's so plain. Always the same." Sarah and her twin friends rolled their eyes. "I don't know how you patrol with her every night. It must be Boredom Hour." They laughed again, then looked at me expectantly.

"Oh, right. Yeah, Lily so boring to be around. Always so quiet. That's probably why she doesn't have many friends." I replied. Remus gave me a stern glared.

What?

_Crash!_ (That's a lot better than poof. Although you can't really use poof for this sound effect. . .whatever)

We swerved around to see what the noise was at the back of the classroom.

On the floor was a broken ink well, ink spilt everywhere. And Lily's long red hair leaving the classroom door.

Oh, _crap_.

She heard.

Get ready to pay for all the Honeyduke's chocolate Sirius wants and hundred galleons to him, James.

You're _so_ going to lose this bet.

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**Revised: 7/30/06**

**Eye Heart Music**


	4. Hags Are THAT Hideous Awareness Program

**Disclaimer: Do I _look_ like I own Harry Potter?. . .well,you can't see me-but you can pretend you can and say that I _don't_ look like I own Harry Potter. Don't sue me,thanks!**

**A/N:Mmmm,chocolate. Hershey's chocolate. Without almonds. Ugh,almonds. Sorry to any of you almond-lovers out there. Anyways,I'm updating this story. . .obviously. Ok,well,yep.**

**VVVVVV IMPORTANT PART! VVVVVVV**

**THEY HAVE STARTED TO LET THE AUTHOR'S REPLY TO REVIEWS BY EMAIL. I WON'T BE DOING THAT. INSTEAD,I'LL KEEP REPLYING TO THE REVIEWS IN THE ACTUALLY STORY,LIKE BEFORE. THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE LOGS ON WHEN THEY REVIEW AND THERE'S NO EMAIL ADDRESS TO SEND THE REPLY TO. **

**THANKS FOR READING: )**

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_Chapter 4-Hags Are That Hideous Awareness Program_

I'm confused.

Very confused.

Lily acts as if she doesn't care about what I said about her. I mean,you'd think by the way she ran from the classroom yesterday,she was upset about it. Crying her eyes out over the pages of some dead goblin guy's biography. Of course,after what she heard,she was probably trying to avoid books and the library all together.

I don't blame her.

That is one dull place.

Then there's the fire-breathing librarian.

Now _she's_ one scary person.

Madame Fire-Breathing Pince is really scary. Honestly,I'd rather battle 10 Hungarian Horntails and a food crazy,naked Peter,then Madame Pince _anytime._

I brought one bar of Honeyduke's chocolate,just _one_ mind you,into the library one day. She caught me red handed. Well,actually,I was chocolate color handed. . .whatever. Anyways,she caught me and. . .

**Flashback to when Madame Fire-Breather caught me chocolate color handed:**

"HOW _DARE_ YOU BRING. . .what is it? Choc-o-late. What in Merlin's name is that? Back to what I was saying to you,you little. . .choc-o-late-eating hooligan. . ._CHOC-O-LATE_ INTO MY LIBRARY,BOY! THIS CHOC-O-LATE STUFF LOOKS TO BE VERY HAZARDOUS TO MY BOOKS,SONNY BOY!"

"I was,uh,using it to,um,transfigure with,Madame Fire-Madame Pince." I replied innocently,already crouching in running position,in my chair,along with Peter and Remus.

"DON'T YOU LIE TO ME,SONNY!-"

**End of Flashback of when Madame Fire-Breather caught me chocolate color handed**

That was back when Sirius was afraid to go even 50 feet of the library entrance,if you noticed his absents there.

He's gotten better,I have to say. I mean,23 and 1/2 feet is a record for him. Okay,I was tring to be nice,he _is_ my bestest(Oh,Remus would murder me if I said 'bestest' in front of him,especially during. . .his time of the month)friend.

He really has only gotten to 38 feet.

Now,you may be wondering how he ever get's books to study with all that good stuff.

Simple answer: We,Marauders,check books out for him and give them to him.

I'm sure you were. See,not only am I a genius,but also a seer. Yeah,I guess I just forgot to mention that. . .really I am. Watch,er,listen. . .

Hummmm,hummmm,HUMMMMMM,hummmmmm,hummmm,HUMMM,ah,yes. I see. . .Sirius as the Vice Minister of 'Save the Chocolate Frogs Awareness Program'(S.C.F.A.P.)and Minister of 'Hags Are _That_ Hideous Awareness Program'(H.A._T_.H.A.P.). . .oh,hummmm,hummm,HUMMMMM,he will also be the author of the worst-selling book in the wizarding world since,'Flobberworms,what are they,_really_?'. Sirius' book will be called,'_A Sensible and Simple Wizards Guide To A Witches heart'._ Sirius' book will cause an estimated 33,045 slaps in the face;400,001 break ups,and a whopping 999,999 'No's' to wedding proposal's in the wizarding world.

Therefore,many jewelry and ring stores will go out of business because of Sirius' book.

. . .Hummm,hummm,HUMMM,hummm,hummm,HUMMMM. . .Remus as the next 'Save the Mermaids Habitats Awareness Program'(S.M.H.A.P.) Minister and,also the Vice Minister of 'Hags Really Aren't _That_ Hidious Awareness Program'(H.R.A._T_.H.A.P.) by the tender age of 23. . .oh,hummmm,hummmm,HUMMMM,hummm,hummm,HUMMM,he will also be the author of the best-seller book,'_An Actually Sensible and Simple Wizard's Guide To A Witches Heart_',earning 5 million galleons in just 2 weeks. Also causing 55,294 kisses;612,539 first dates;and a whopping 1,000,001 'Yes' Proposal's.

On another happy note,Remus' book will save the jewelry and ring business.

. . .Oh,hummm,hummm,HUMMM,hummm,hummm,HUMMM. . .Peter will live with his parents till the tender age of 46;moving out only because his parents will change the house's lock.

Anyways,back to the present.

Instead Lily seemed normal. Actually. . ._cheerful._ Even giving me a smile and saying 'Hello,James.' as we walked past each other in the hall after breakfast this morning. I stopped after she walked on by and scratched my head in confusion for about 5 minutes,till a nearby portrait asked politely if I had lice and did I need a potion for it?

I just can't understand how she can be so _happy_ after what she heard. . .

I mean,even I would have angry some. I wouldn't have cried though. If I did cry,which I didn't for the record,it would be a manly cry.

Not that I _want_ her to be upset and crying her eyes out over what was said. I feel kind of bad actually. She didn't deserve that. Really,she didn't.

I just can't understand how she's so cheer-

Wait,she just walked into the common room.

Here's goes nothing.

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I began to stand up and walk towards her,but was stopped by Sirius' voice.

"Where are you going?" he asked politely.

"To talk to Lily." I replied just as politely.

"Oh."

I began to walk off,when I was stopped again,by Remus.

"James,listen,about what happened,there's something I need to tell you. You see,that was-"

I cut him off,"I know,I know. That was a hurtful thing to say. That's what you were going to say weren't you?" I asked. What can I say? Well. . .I did say I'm a seer.

"No,actually,I was saying that-. . ." The rest was lost as I walked off,towards Lily.

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"Hello,Lily." I said in a sort of bright/sort of I'm-sorry kind of tone.

Lily looked up from the table top where she was. . .sorting Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans?

She must have really taken my(oh,and Sarah's)words to heart. Lily didn't even have a book or parchment in sight.

I felt guiltier.

She smiled up at me and gestured to take a seat at the table.

I sat slowly.

". . ."

I leaned forward,placing my hands on the table and twiddling them. Kinda fun. . .this is very entertaining actually-wait,remember what your here for,James. You can twiddle your thumbs later,when Remus is lecturing you about getting detention from Mcgongall tonight.

I looked up to see Lily seperating all of her beans into piles by color.

Boy,what a life she has. . .sorting jelly beans by color-no,James. You shouldn't even _think_ mean stuff like that right now.

"42." Lily said suddenly.

"What?" I asked.

Lily,without glancing at me,answered,"42 purple beans."

"Ah."

". . ."

". . . . . . . .X 10,000 more '.' "

---**2 minutes later**---

". . . ."

"You seem. . .happy." I said slowly.

"Hmmm?" Lily asked,picking up a rather disgusting colored jelly bean from the table.

"I said you seem. . .happy." I replied.

"Oh,I'm quite content." She replied,finally putting the jelly bean in the 'brown' pile. I thought that was a good place for it. It was almost a dark copper color with a tinge of burlywood color. . .yet another Wicker Moment.

"You know,there's nothing wrong with reading books about. . .stuff and. . .other. . .stuff. And you know,doing essays about stuff. . .and other. . .stuff. . ."I trailed off slowly.

"I know." Lily replied.

"Yeah,well,you can do that. I mean,you don't have to sort jelly beans." I replied,grabbing a lavender colored bean and examining it. _Not_ because I actually _like_ lavender or anything. It was just randomly picked.

Lily took the bean back and put it back in the 'purple' pile. Good pile for it,Lily.

"I find catorgorizing jelly beans,every once and a while,fun. You should try it sometime." Lily suggested,her eyes never leaving the beans.

"Yeah,sure. . ." I trailed off. I doubt I'd _ever_ 'catorgorize' jelly beans. I'd much rather eat them,anyways.

"Do you think this should go in the yellow or the white catorgory?" Lily asked,holding up a,in my opinion,off-white jelly bean.

"Uh,white,I guess." I replied.

This really wasn't what I had expected to happen.

**What I expected to happen:**

I walk to Lily's table. Greet her.

Lily would just stare at me,tears ready to fall.

Sit down eventually after several minutes. Apologize.

Lily starts crying.

I pat her back,comfortingly,er,actually it would probably be awkwardly,but whatever.

Lily would keep crying.

I would just sit there,patting her back comfortingly,er,awkwardly.

**What I had not expected:**

I walk to Lily's table. Greet her.

Lily would smile and gesture for me to sit down.

Sit down. Twiddle thumbs for a while. Find twiddling thumbs fun.

Then watch and somewhat discuss what color pile a,in my opinion,off-white Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Bean should go,with Lily.

"Yes,I suppose so." Lily muttered,dropping the,in my opinion,off-white jelly bean in the 'white' pile. There were only two in that pile. Hmmm. Interesting. Very observant,James. Very observant. What can I say? I'm just one observant guy.

"Listen you don't have to,uh,'catorgorize' jelly beans,really you don't. What we said didn't mean anything. You don't have to change what you do just because of what we said." I said quickly,snatching a maroon colored bean from the 'red' pile. Once again,Lily,good pile. I popped it in my mouth and hurridely swallowing it without chewing first.

Lily's head came up and look at me,confused. "What are you talking about,James?"

"You know,about what Sarah and I said,back in the classroom,yesterday." I replied,solemnly.

"Sarah? Who's Sarah? What did this 'Sarah' and yourself say?" Lily questioned.

I sighed,"You know. . ."

"No,I don't." Lily answered,sounding clueless.

Your a good actress,Lily.

"Yes,you do. Anyways,I'd like to apologize. . .erm,I'm sorry." I added after a small pause.

Lily raised an eyebrow,"Um,alright. . .thanks for apologizing then. . .James. . ."

I sighed in relief. She hadn't broken down into tears yet. Good. I can still escape before she starts.

I haven't mentioned it yet,but I'm not real great around crying girls. . .okay,that's mentioned.

I stood up,almost knocking my chair over in the process.

"Okay,bye Lily." I said and began to walk off.

I heard a faint,'Bye,James.' from Lily as I just about made it to my previous spot with my friends.

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"Well,that's taken care of,I guess." I said awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck.

I saw Remus roll his eyes,"I'm sure. James,if you had just _listened_ to what I said,you wouldn't have gone over there-"

"Have you ever sat down and just catorgorized jelly beans before?" iasked cutting Remus off.

" 'Catorgorized'?" Sirius asked in bewilderment.

"Jelly beans?" Peter asked quickly.

"Yeah." I replied.

They replied with 'No'.

Remus replied with 'No,I catorgorize my books.'.

That's nice,Remus. . .

"Well,Lily was over there,'catorgorizing' a bunch of jelly beans into piles by color. Funny,huh?" I asked.

"Maybe she was bored. Like I am right now." Sirius said,drumming his fingers on the chairs armrest he was sitting in. Sirius perked up,"Evans,wasn't reading or doing homework? Woah."

"It's probably because of what Sarah and I said yesterday." I replied guiltily.

Remus rolled his eyes again,"When will you just listen to me,James? That _wasn't_ Lily yesterday. That was some 7th year Ravenclaw girl with red hair. Like Lily's. I,unlike you,talked to Lily yesterday,to _apologize_ for what _you_ said,instead of trying to hide from her,like you-"

"I wasn't _hiding_ from her!" I exclaimed indignantly.

"Right,James. Anyways,I apologized to her and she said she had no idea what I was talking about. Also,Lily informed me that that same 7th year Ravenclaw had accidently spilt ink on her uniform before class yesterday and left to go change. That's why she was late." Remus explained.

I stared at him dumbly.

_What?_

That wasn't-

-Her?

That wasn't-

-Lily?

"That wasn't. . .that wasn't Lily? She didn't overhear us?" I asked quickly in amazement.

"Yeah. So you just made an-"

"I just made an idiot of myself in front of Lily. Thanks,Remus. Why didn't you tell me _before_ I walked over there?" I asked.

"I _tried_. Remus replied.

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"Hello again,Lily." I said,sitting down again in the same chair and watching Lily,who was still sorting jelly beans. She was almost done now. Probably about 20 more left.

Lily looked up in suprise,"What are you doing here,James? Again? Did you need something?"

"Oh,no. Just came over here to ask you to just forget about what I said earlier." I replied.

"Okay." Lily replied,putting an idigo,with pink speckles,jelly bean into the 'blue' pile. Another good pile,Lily.

I blink.

Was that all she had to say?

Okay?

"Why aren't you reading or. . .you know,doing homework or something like that?" I asked.

Lily shook her head in amusement,"Am I suppose to be reading or doing homework right now?"

"No,it's just that's what you do most of the time. . ." I trailed off,grabbing another bean,this time,blood red,and actually chewing it this time.

"Well,actually,I would be reading or doing some homework,but I can't get to my dormitory right now. And my dormitory has all of my books and parchment." Lily explained.

I looked questionablely at the girls' stairwell.

It seemed normal to me. . .

"Why not?" I asked.

"Peeves put a hex on the door. It's locked. It now yells insults at anyone who tries to unlock it. It can't be unlocked,not with any spell or charm." Lily explained,putting a pale green jelly bean into the 'green' pile. Good choice.

"Ah. . ." I said.

"Finished." Lily said,waving her hand towards the different piles of jelly beans.

"What are you going to do with them now?" I asked.

Say your going to eat them and let me have some. . .please. . .please. . .

"I'm going to start all over again." Lily replied,grabbing the beans and shuffling them up into one super pile.

This could take a while. . .but,I've got time.

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**Author's Note: Ha,did anyone think that wasn't Lily? I don't want to make this a angsty/tears-all-the-time kind of fic. I like writing funny stuff. I'm not saying mine's the funniest around or anything. . .Hoped you liked this chapter!**

**Just Another Harry Potter Fan**


	5. Sodding Cheap Plastic Badges

**Disclaimer:I don't own a thing.**

**Author's Note: Hello everyone!**

**Here's the replies to the story's magnifcent reviewers:**

**-ShIvErInG sMiLe-: I changed that part at the last minute. It was going to be that Lily DID hear what he said and was all sad and crying,but decided to make a little twist instead. Thanks!**

**The Female Nerd:You know,I don't even know where I came up with Lily sorting the jelly beans. . .funny. Oh well. After about my 3rd time of sorting them,the only ones left would be the disgusting flavors,lol. Thanks for reviewing!**

**lilmimistar:Oh good! I'm glad you think it's original! That's what I want. That's what I want for all of my stories. To make them very original and different from others. Of course,sometimes,it seems my story/ies are a bit TOO original,right? LoL. Thanks for R&R!**

**yourheartsdesire:Yeah,that's how I was originally going to do it. Lily would be run off and James would go find her,but I didn't want to turn this into a dramatic/tears fic. I think(still not sure,since I still have to work out a few things for the ending of the story)there will be a few tears and it might be abit dramatic at the end. That's all I'll say. . .**

**katara129:Thank you : )**

**dragonriderhp:Me too! I love the different 'awareness programs' Remus and Sirius are in,and that Peter will still live with parents when he's 47,lol! I don't think many did expect that. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**BurpingBubbles:No,you weren't hinting at anything,LoL. I've read and reviewed your story. It's great! **

**Lily and James Love 4 ever:Yeah,very random. I know. Actually,I don't even know why I decided Lily would sort jelly beans. . .lol.**

**PrincessMia737:Yes,you are correct! Randomness! You'll find(if you haven't already found out)all of my stories are very random at times. You've probably already figured that out,lol. I hope not TOO random. . .**

**xfrozensorcerer:Really? LoL. Thanks for reviewing!**

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_Chapter 5-Sodding Cheap Plastic Badges_

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**(October 8th)**

YES! POTTER SCORES!

"YES! POTTER SCORES!"

That was a pretty good move,if I don't say so myself. I swerved and tilted a little to the left and-OW!

Bloody bludgers. Bloody Hufflepuffs.

Those Hufflepuff,they can be violent when they want to be,let me tell you. Loyal and Just,my arse. Pfft. Their a sneaky little house. Really.

Of course their not the sneakiest around. Slytherin is the sneakiest and the most stupid,evil house around. They should be voted Evilest and Boringest house around. Boringest and evilest aren't really words,but who cares?. . .uh,well,Remus probably does,but he doesn't matter.

Yes! Another score for Gryffindor!

"Good move,Jones! Almost as good as me!" I shout to Jones.

Jones waves and-wait,did she roll her eyes? No way. No one rolls their eyes at me. I'm James Potter. Besides why would she roll her eyes? It's not like I was being rude or inconsiderate or anything.

Oh well. Take that you dumb Hufflepuffs!

Let's see who's in my crowd of adoring fans. . .

There's Stacy What's-Her-Name and What's-Her-Face Johns. And there's Hailey,er,Something-Of-Other. Oh and there's. . .someone. I can't remember what their name is. I'm awful at names. I can't even remember mine at 6:00 in the morning.

Just wave and smile,James. They'll never know the difference.

Oh,there's two people I know that are in my crowd of adoring fans. Remus and Peter. Of course,they aren't one of _those_ kinds of adoring fans. Just friends who had the misfortune of getting stuck in the crowd full of airheads or know-it-alls,that also happen to adore yours truely.

There's Professor Mcgongall too! _She's_ in my crowd of adoring fans? Oh,man. I hope she's not one of _those_ kinds of adoring fans. She seems to be scowling up at someone in the third row. . .ah,yes. Third row someone seems to be discreetly throwing Bertie Bott's beans at her head. Oh,and there she goes. Up to the third row. Now she's pushing through everyone.

Didn't know Mcgongall was a violent person. Sirius has been saying that for _years_,but I never believed him since half the stuff he says is his imagination or one of his fantasies.

"I saw Slughorn and Sprout snogging behind greenhouse 14,James! Really! I did!"

Well,I doubt that was one of his _fantasies_. . .but he might have mistook a plump,short bush next to another plump short bush for Professor Sprout and Slughorn. . .at least I hope so. Ugh.

"James,you won't _believe_ what I just saw. Remus was _copying_ off of _Peter's_ essay. _Remus_,James,_Remus_."

I don't believe that one a bit.

Hahaha,third row someone is _busted_! Hahaha. Mcgongall's hauling them off to her office to write up a detenion slip this minute,I bet.

Who else is in the crowd. . .hey,there's Lily. Wonder what she's doing in my crowd of adoring fans. . .wait! Oh,this is great! And I'm not being sarcastic!

She's in my crowd of _adoring fans_! That means she _adores_ me! That means she _likes_ me! That means I can ask her out soon! That means I won't have to sit in the stuffy old library for an hour,watching her from across a table,trying to strike up a conversation!

My _adoring_ fan seems to be beaming at someone to my left,who-

"ERIKSON HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS! 250-160!"

Ah.

Maybe I can catch up with Lily in the crowd back to the castle. Ask her then. . .

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Geez,can't anyone move out the way these days?

"Move! Come on,people! _Move_! Head Boy coming through!" I say,flashing my stupid plastic gold badge to a overly-aggressive 5th year Ravenclaw.

Honesty,can't Hogwarts afford something other than _plastic_ gold? Actually,it's gold paint of some kind and it's chipping off.

I'll have to bring that up with Mcgongall the next time I see her. I bet she'll be happy to fix it for me. Yeah,I bet.

Anyways,we're _heads_. We-Lily and I-are the _Head Students_ of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry(one of the best schools around)and all they can come up with is plastic painted over with gold paint? The money probably all goes to the zillion and one suits of armor around the castle they just _had_ to buy. Sodding suits of armor.

I mean,I'm not one to be picky and I don't have to have a gold badge with diamonds the size of Gringotts on it or anything. Just something better than a cheap plastic badge,for Merlin's sake.

"MOVE IT! THERE'S A TROLL BEHIND US!" I yell into the crowd. I snicker.

That'll get them moving. Of course there isn't _really_ a troll behind them,but I had to get them moving.

Sure enough,there are screams heard from the crowd and I'm just about run over by a 7th year.

"OW! That was my _foot_ you stepped on!" I hiss crouching over and moaning over my foot.

In a manly way,of course.

"Oh,sorry,James mate!" A voice calls in the crowd.

I look up. That was Sirius' voice. But where-?

Ah.

There he goes. . .up ahead,stepping on a few more feet and elbowing a couple of people in the ribs.

"Excuse me. Pardon me. _Well_! That was rude."

There's Remus. Polite Remus.

I wave. "Hey,Remus!"

Remus looks over and down at me,"Hey-" He was cut off as someone pushed into him,making him fall over and out of sight from me. I could still hear him exclaiming _Well_!'s on the ground though.

Oh,and there's Peter!. . .crawling on the ground,searching for something I suppose. . .

"Marvin! Marvin,where _are_ you?" He shouts over everything else.

I suppose he lost his pet toad,Marvin,again. He's always losing him. I don't know why he took Marvin to a _quidditch match_ in the first place. I kind of which he lost Marvin for good. I mean,that stupid toad pees on _everything,_I tell you.

"James?" A voice faintly called from my left.

I look up to see bright red hair and green eyes. . ."Lily!" I call cheerful from the ground. Yes,quite cheerfully considering I'm sitting on the ground being trampled on by anyone and everyone. Probably sitting on gum or animal crap too. _Wonderful_. . .

Nothing could stop me from be cheerful right now,though.

Lily _liked_ me. _Adored_ me. She probably fantasized about me in the shower or some other girlish fantasy girls have.

This meant the bet could end soon _and_ I'd get my broomstick and some boxes of chocolate. Mmmm-okay,pay attention to the things at hand,James.

"Hel-lo,Lily. What might you be doing on this fine-"

A crack of thunder is heard and rain begins to fall.

"-day?" I ask,still grinning,messing up my hair.

Lily looks at me with a raised eyebrow,"I'm trying to get in the castle."

"Ah. Me too."

"On the ground?" She asked.

"Well,uh,I was helping Peter look for Marvin-uh,his toad." I replied. I crouched down and whistled,"Here,Marvin,Marvin. Come here,you slimy green. . .wart. . .thing." I stood straight after Lily didn't say anything after my whistling session.

She was standing there,hands in her coat pockets,smiling at me in amusement. "Alright." And begin walking with the now decreasing crowd.

"James,have you seen Marvin?" Peter voice asked from my right.

"No,why don't you look back at the stands?" I suggest.

Peter runs off.

I turn back to the situation at hand. When could I ask her?

Right now? She was alone right now. . .

. . .She's alone most of the time actually. . .but still. . .

Maybe I should wait till patrol.

No,that would be awkward.

I mean,when she(and not _if_ she,mind you)agrees to go on the date,then it might be awkward during the rest of the patrol. Of course,it's always kind of awkward around Lily. No one hardly ever talks.

I wonder if she'll ever get married.

I wonder who would like her quiet nature enough to marry her.

Would she be more talkative around someone she loved?

Around her family?

Enough with all the questions,James. Just go up to her and ask.

Okay. Here goes nothing.

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"Hel-lo,Lily." I greet after I caught up with her on the 5th floor.

Lily's head turns towards me with a questioning look,"Hello,James. You seem. . .cheerful today."

"Yeah,I am. I mean,who wouldn't? Gryffindor won!" Just casually ease into a conversation about Hogsmeade,James. That always works like a charm.

And if there's one thing James Potter has. It's charm.

She laughed.

That's all.

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I sigh and fiddle with my heads badge,trying to come up with a conversation. . .ah ha!

"Hey,is your badge plastic?" I ask.

Lily looks from me to my badge to hers and back to mine. She fiddles with it,till it's off her shirt and she examines it,"Yes,it is. Why?"

"Oh. Mine is too. Pretty sorry,huh?"

Lily shrugged,"Maybe they can't afford new badges."

I turned away and muttered bitterly,"Stupid suits of armor. . ."

"What?"

"Oh-uh,nothing." I hastily said,then brought up the sitting-in-crowd-of-adoring-fans-section today,"I saw you at the match."

"I saw you too."

Such a sense of humor.

"Yeah,hahaha,you were sitting in the airheads section." I stated.

Lily looked at me with raised eyebrows,"Airheads section?"

"Yeah,that's usually where airheads sit." _And where my adoring fans sit. . ._

"Remus was sitting in the section." Lily stated,as if saying,how could it be an _airhead_ section if _Remus _wassitting in it? Funny how she left Peter out. . .

"Oh,he usually sits somewhere else,but him and Peter somehow got stuck there,I guess."

"I was late-finishing up an essay-and those were the only seats left. The stands are always packed aren't they-?"

I didn't hear the rest. My heart must have sank noisily. Sank way noisily down.

Lily was late to the match.

That meant she didn't really _adore_ me.

That meant she didn't really _like_ me.

That meant she didn't really fantasize about me in the shower.

That meant the bet wouldn't be ending soon.

That meant I wouldn't be getting my broomstick and a few boxes of chocolates anytime soon either.

That meant I would still be sitting across her,trying to come up with something to say in the awkward silence we had going on between us.

I sighed depressioningly.

She heard,"What's the matter,James? You seemed so cheerful."

"Oh,I just realized something really depressing." I said matter-of-factly.

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"Come on,Remus,please?" I pleaded on the way to breakfast a week later.

"Don't help him,Remus." Sirius pleaded also.

"Your a social person,James. Can't _you_ bring up a conversation around her?" Remus asked.

"Oh,_I'm_ a social person,that's not the problem. Lily _isn't_ a social person,that's the problem." I said glumly.

I had gotten desperate enough this morning to ask Remus to sit with me,by Lily,and help get a conversation going.

"See? I'm not stupid,James. I didn't choose some airhead. I chose someone who wasn't your type." Sirius stated triumphantly.

I glared at him,"She _is_ my type. And soon,I'll show you _just_ how much she's my type."

"Oh really? And just how are you going to do that?"

"Like I'd tell you!" I snorted,"Pfft."

Truthfully,I didn't know how. I didn't even know if I'd go on a date with her anymore.

I've been thinking of just asking her,but then,that might scare her away,then I'd have an even harder time. I was getting desperate though. . .only about a month and a half left. . .

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"Hel-lo,Lily." I greeted her brightly as we Marauders sat down across from Lily. Excluding me. I sat next to her.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Remus roll his eyes and scoff. Sirius and Peter were snickering. I kicked them under the table.

"Good morning,Lily." Remus said friendly.

"Good,morning,James,Remus,Sirius,Peter." Was her greeting.

Silence.

I tried to give Remus a look that said 'Help-Me-Start-A-Conversation-Remus',but he was too busy picking blasted chocolate _chips_(My mum uses _chucks_,Peter!)out of his pancakes.

Honestly. What is with Remus?

Even if they are _chips_ their still chocolate.

Anyways,it seems Peter got my look instead and he must of interpreted it as 'Help-Me-Start-A-Conversation-_Peter_'. . .

"Have you tried the pumpkin juice this morning? It tastes extra pumpkiny today,does it not?" Peter asked,trying to sound sophisticated. Nice try,Pete. . .keeping practicing. . .

'Pumpkiny' isn't a-

" 'Pumpkiny' isn't a word,Peter." Remus stated,not looking up from his picking session.

Lily,I could tell,bit back laughter for Peter's sake and answered his question,"Yes,I have. It does seem to have extra taste."

And Sirius,of course,had to put in his two knuts. . .

"Hey-hey,James. Remember back in 4th year when you tried to drink the pumpkin juice through your nose? Hahaha! That was so funny! You looked just like a troll when their-"

"Hehe,that's enough of you,_Sirius_." I said,throwing a biscuit at his face,it landing,with my wonderful quidditch skills,right in his open mouth,making him stop talking for now. . .

Lily was silently laughing behind her book,I could tell that also. I didn't know if was because of Sirius' comment(I hope not)or because of my throwing a biscuit at Sirius' face. . .

Remus had a straight face on,use to this kind of stuff,I guess. Peter was laughing in-between eating his scrambled eggs and pumpkin jui-the pumpkin juice was coming out of his nose! _Wonderful_. Just _wonderful_. What would Lily think now?

That I have a bunch of immature clowns as friends(excluding Remus,of course)?

That I'm one of those immature clowns?

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**Author's Note:There it is. . .it's a little shorter than usual. Sorry. Okay,tomorrow I plan to type out my Christmas one-shot(L/J),then after that work on the first chapter of 'I Do'.**

**Just Another Harry Potter Fan**


	6. Pretty Boy Ravendrew

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not a thing. Weird, huh? Or maybe I'm the weird one here. . .moving _on_.**

**Author's Note: This story is turning out to be less humorous than the beginning. I'm already saying that now. I mean, it still has it's jokes and humor throughout the chapters, but it isn't really like the 1st chapter. **

**If you would like to SEE YOUR REVIEW RESPONSES I will now be posting ALL (every story) of them in my LIVEJOURNAL (there's a link to it at my PROFILE) because I have recently heard your NOT ALLOWED to put them in the chapters. So, that's that. **

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_Chapter Six-Pretty Boy Ravendrew_

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_Ah. . .quidditch. . .brooomsticks. . .fresh cut grass. . .quaffles. . .fresh air. . .no books in sight_-

"James?"

I jumped,"I'm listening and paying attention." In a overly bright and awake tone clearly stating that I wasn't listening or paying attention. Way to go, James. Wonderful job. I should change my name to Mr.James Harold Sarcastic. I doubt my parents would be happy with me changing my name though. He could just imagine their anger.

"What's wrong with Potter, James? Oh, I suppose if you really want to change your name-"

"Harold! Have you given your laundry to the house elves yet?"

-Sigh-"No, dear-"

"Harold! I _told_ you to gather your dirty clothes two hours ago!"

"I'll get right on it, dear, right after I speak with James about him wanting to change his last name to Sarcastic-"

"_What_?"

"It's a great name, mum. It suits me, don't you think-?"

"James Potter, you are not changing your name! Do you hear me young man? Now. Get your father up and _both_ of you get your laundry for the house elves!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Yes. Ma'am. Way to go, James. You've got her in one of her moods."

"_Your_ the one that brought up changing my last name."

Lily looked at me with amusement,"You don't have to spend your Saturday cooped up in the library with me, James. Why don't you go play quidditch with your friends. I know you want to."

It was Saturday the 27th of October and I was spending my day in the library. Not willingly, no. I could be spending it playing a game of quidditch with some others. It's just that Lily's there and there's the whole bet thing and. . .

No, I must stay. . .even if the quidditch pitch is just calling to me, unlike the biography of Mira Bachinspock, a witch who came up with the antidote for molergis warts (Merin, are those ugly looking, right up there in the nose-I'll continue). Yes. So exciting.

Who can resist a good book on a witch searching all her life (112 years) for a cure for disgusting nose warts (Merlin, they're just right there in the nose-) over a game of quidditch.

That's it. I'm changing my name. Good Bye Mr.James Harold Potter. Hello, Mr.James Harold Sarcastic!

"No, I'm fine. Really. I just love to read, you know. That's something we really have in common, you know."

Well, you know, I think the whole "you know" habit of mine is really coming along. I lied throught the whole sentence and only said "you know" twice.

Lily stared at me for a moment a smile on her face.

She was always smiling it seemed.

I suppose I just never noticed it till now, after spending so much time with her. That she smiles so much, I mean.

It's not like her smiles bad. Quite the opposite, actually. Lily's smile is very nice. It brightens the room. Boy, did that sound corny.

Now, if you want to see a scary smile, see the portrait of Walter the Weird, in the dungeons. The smile scares the willies out of me-Peter. The willies out of Peter. Of course, what else can you expect? Everything in the dungeons is either A)Weird B)Evil C)Ugly

More in particular for ugly is the Slytherin Common Room. Merlin. The furniture colors clash!-Wicker moment.

I'm getting off topic now. Lily's looking at me with a faint smile still, yet her eyebrows are raised with a curious expression. I suppose just staring blankly at Lily's face for three minutes straight can be somewhat. . . awkward.

"No, really, James go ahead. I meeting up with someone to tutor in half na hour. I doubt you really want to sit here will I tutor."

Perfect point, Lily! Wonderful! Quidditch here I come! Yes!-

"Okay, I guess. . ."

Quidditch! Fresh air! Snitches! Bludgers! Broomsticks! Quaffles!-

"You sure?" I asked, already standing up, bag over shoulder.

Lily looked up at me and chuckled, eyes twinkling merrily,"Yes, James. I'm positive."

Quidditch here I come!-

"Alright then. Bye, Lily." I grin walking away, even putting in a quick wink over my shoulder, since I was in such a good mood. Whether she saw it or not, I can't say. She didn't seem to. . .

Wait.

I have just had the best of the best ideas I have ever had (which is pretty hard, considering the ideas I've thought of).

"Lily?" I ask turning around.

She looked up from her book,"Yes?"

"Can you come watch the game after you finish tutoring?"

See, asking her this, she'll definitely get my drift. She'll definitely see the whole Will-You-Go-On-A-Date-With-Me? thing. Maybe I won't even have to ask, Lily'll just figure out because I asked her to watch a quidditch game, more in particular, watch _me_. Even though I never said the word "me". I'm postive this will work.

I've always been quite good when it came to girls. I suppose, if I could just figure out Lily Evans.

Lily fingered the corner of her book's page absentmindly,"I'll try to come. I'm not really sure when exactly the tutoring will be finished-"

"Great. I see you there!" And Mr. J Sarcastic skips out of the library.

Manly skips, of course.

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"For the love of God, Potter, pay attention! What do you keep looking at?" Walter Worthington shouted a few yards away.

"Why don't _you_ pay attention, Worthington?" I shout back haughtly. Honestly, can't he mind his own business. I was just checking the entrance of the quidditch pitch to see if Lily had come yet. She said she'd come. I'm sure of it.

"I will come, James. I promise." That's _exactly_ what she said. Exactly.

So where was she? It had been an hour and Lily still hadn't gotten to the pitch. You know, you'd think me inviting her to watch a quidditch game-watch _me_-would just, you know, cast lumos to her mind, bringing her to the light, figuring out what I was actually saying. Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?

Obviously, though, it was a faulty wand because it didn't cast lumos to her head, therefore her mind remained dark and unaware of my secret message.

Lily should be here. She should. Sure I have plenty of admires watching from the stands, but she has to be here to be impressed by my quidditch skills to be able to say "yes" to Hogsmeade. It was just that simple.

Worthington snorted,"I'm actually paying attention, Potter, unlike you-"

"Then I'm sure you see that bludger coming right at your head now." I stated calmly. Take _that_ Worthington!

Worthington turned slightly and ducked as a bludger zoomed just over his head. He glared at me and flew off, probably to pester someone else. Poor someone else.

Sirius flew over,"That was quite a nice bludger, don't you think?" He asked slyly.

Remus and Peter where keeping score, prefering not to "get our heads blasted off by a bludger or fall a 1000 feet to our deaths, thank you very much" (Remus' words, not mine).

I chuckled,"Thanks, Padfoot."

"Anytime. Although, I have to say, as much as Worthington is a pain in the arse, he was kind of right, you know. What were you looking at?"

"Oh. . .nothing. Just waiting for Lily to show up." I said absentmind scanning the stands and entrance once more.

Sirius laughed,"Ah, I see now. And after an hour, she still hasn't shown up. Has someone been stood up?" He asked slyly.

"No." I say quickly. "Besides, it isn't a date. I just said she could come watch if she liked. Actually, Lily's tutoring someone right now, so that's probably why she isn't here yet."

Sirius let out another,"Ah, tutoring. What fun. What fun on a _Saturday_."

I felt a little defensive. I _had_ to. After spending so much time with Lily, I've found her to be even nicer then I thought. "She was just trying to help someone out, Sirius." Even if it was Saturday. . .

"Nice of her." Sirius said vaguely as he hit a bludger that came by us in the opposite direction.

"Yeah."

It was nice of her. I mean, I'm sure the kid she was tutoring was some 1st year just about failing in potions or astronomy or something. And there was Lily, helping him or her get back on his or her feet. Yep.

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"**Potter**! I told you pay attention! You just about got hit straight in the head!. . .Maybe getting hit in the head would do you some good, though. Get some sense knocked into you-Black! I know you hit that bludger at me on purpose!"

"Oh, shut it, Worthington. Your not the team captain, so mind your own business." Sirius shouted back in irritation, sending me a thumbs.

I returned the thumbs up, then turned my attention back to what nearly got me knocked off my broom.

Lily had finally made it. I was beginning to think she wasn't. Maybe poor Jimmy or Jilly (I made their names up. Very nice names if I don't say so myself) finally figured out how to do spell or something so Lily called it a day. Or maybe she finally lost her patience with them because Jimmy or Jilly couldn't get a spell down and called it a day. I doubt that though, Lily doesn't seem to be one to lose her patience.

She spotted me watching her and waved from the stand she was sitting in. I noticed Lily wasn't sitting with the supersized and only group sitting in the stands. She was sitting alone. As usual. With a book in her lap, I noticed. As usual (A book with her, I mean. Not me noticing. Although, I _am_ very observate).

I looked away and pretended that I didn't see her wave.

As much as she was nice and even if she was growing on me a _bit_ (who couldn't she grow on a bit, being all nice and sweet and smiling _all_ the time?) I just couldn't really. . .well, be seen with her a lot. . .

I've never been one to really care who I hang out with, I suppose. But Lily, well, Lily isn't really that popular amongst everyone and she's so quiet. . .I hate saying that, but it's true. What would others think?

Sure, I've been spending a bit more time with her, but mostly it was due to heads stuff, or at least, that's what most people thought it was about. These past few days though, I've been trying to hang around her more often.

I feel bad inviting her and all, then just ignoring her.

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"Hel-lo, Lily."

Lily looked up at me, a bit startled at my sudden greeting,"Hi, James."

The game had ended (my team won, of course) and I had followed Lily back up to the castle as the rest of the Marauders walked out to the lake, where I'd really have like to be right now. . .

"Did you like the game?"

"It was very interesting." She said flashing an even bigger smile at me.

"Yeah, I find them fasinating." I said grinning back at her, then contentfully sighing, thinking of quidditch. I sounded like a bloody girl sighing and daydreaming over a hunk (that hunk being me, of course).

"Have you ever been to a world cup before?" Lily asked, suprising me immensely.

"A twice, yeah. Why? Have you?" I asked, having a hard time believing that Lily Evans had ever gone to a world cup.

"No, but I've read about them in _Quidditch Through the Ages_."

I knew it.

"Ah, but reading about a world cup is not nearly as fun as actually seeing one." I replied wisely.

She shrugged,"I've just never had a chance to go."

Silence.

I didn't really know what else to say to that.

"Hey, James!" A voice greeted from behind me.

I turned to see Sarah, along with the Linda twins.

"Oh, hi, Sarah. . ." I trailed off, not knowing her friends real names, so I jsut nodded to them instead.

They caught up with me and all stood on my right side as Lily stood on my left. They began chatting before I noticed Lily not saying anything (well, she didn't usually in the first place) and decided to introduce her (a little silly considering they've lived together in the same dorm for 6 and a half years).

"Oh, uh, Sarah, this Lily, Lily this Sarah."

Sarah (and the Linda twins) leaned over some and looked at Lily. Their faces remained blank with raised eyebrows as Lily smiled shyly.

"Hi." They said in flat voice, which suprised me. They were always nice to me, but to Lily they seemed. . .bored.

Lily, not to my surprise in the least, smiled wider,"Hello."

That was that. They were introduced. Not saying anything else after.

Until. . .

"-Mcgongall said that we had to do some reading on our own time and I just thought, why? I had much better stuff to do with my time rather than put my nose in dry, dusty books." Sarah said.

I was put in defensive mode again. Sirius is okay with Lily, he's nice to her. He didn't really mean to imply anything really, well, rude about Lily at the pitch. I really don't know if Sarah meant to be rude to Lily then or not. Sarah's always been pretty nice to me.

But really, she _must_ have known about Lily liking to read, considering she was talking about it that day before class. . .

"Books aren't that bad. Some are actually quite interesting. You just have to find one you like." I said, glancing at Lily, who's face didn't really have a smile, but didn't really have a frown either.

Sarah looked a bit taken back at my comment, as did the Linda twins who follow Sarah's every move and expression.

"Right. . .Well, James, we have to be going. Bye!" She nodded slightly to Lily (the Linda twins did the same) and walked off.

Lily and I walked in silence as we entered the castle all the way to 4th floor.

I decided to not say anything about what Sarah said unless Lily brought up the subject herself.

She didn't.

I breathed out,"So. . .did you have a, er, good time tutoring earlier?" I wasn't exactly sure if you could ask someone if they had a _good_ time tutoring. . .well, maybe with Lily, you could.

Her face was still rather expressionless right now,"Yes. We got a lot done."

"Oh, your tutoring them again?"

"Yes, Andrew still needs some help with potions. The N.E.W.T.'s potions isn't really going too well with him."

I nodded absentmindly for a moment, thinking.

_Andrew. . .N.E.W.T.'s. . .7th year. . ._

So, this wasn't some 1st year. It some 7th year. Our year. Our age.

Andrew. Pfft. That name definitely didn't sound like some poor, innocent 1st year. Of course, he isn't a 1st year, but he still doesn't sound poor or innocent in the least. He probably _does_ need help with schoolwork, though. Andrew sounds likes a Hufflepuff name, I'd say.

Sirius probably planned this all out. He probably hired this Andrew guy to get Lily to tutor him, then sweep her off her feet, leaving me to lose the bet. Yeah. I bet. He'll pay, I tell you, he will _pay_!

"Andrew, huh?" I asked. She nodded, a smile starting to form again. That made me go on,"And what house is in? I don't recall knowing him."

"Ravenclaw."

Well, Andrew was probably just put in Ravenclaw because. . .ah, because. . .he was smart in one particular subject, but the rest he was just awful at. Or-_Or_ he's face looks like a raven. Maybe. It could be true, you know. . .Merlin! I wish I could just zap "you" and "know" away.

Or, _or_ this _Andrew_ (pfft, probably some pretty boy getting by only on his looks (which probably aren't that great (I'm sure mine are better))) fellow, could have bribed the sorting hat into letting him be in Ravenclaw, _then_ he could have carefully and wisely (or as wisely and carefully a bimbo of a block could) plotted a scheme to whisk Lily off her feet (Or whisk her away from a book or the library for more than half an hour now that I think about it) all this years.

Yeah, and, ah, Sirius. . .Sirius just happened to come into his plot somehow. Don't ask me how. I'm already confused at what's going.

And then pretty boy, Ravendrew (I came up with name myself, quite nice if I don't say so myself) will just _plop!_, drop Lily after a while.

That two-faced, evil, cocky, insolent, stupid, no good,dirty,rotten arseface-

"He sounds like a nice guy." I replied calmly.

Lily smiled a bit wider,"He is." She looked out the window as I glanced at her.

The silence had come back and it wasn't as awkward since my mind was a bit too preoccupied with Mr.Pretty Boy Ravendrew.

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**A/N:How was it? Any good?**

**Just Another Harry Potter Fan**


	7. Moments of Impulse

**Disclaimer: Amazing. I own nothing. That's just- just _amazing_ (not to mention a bit depressing)!**

**Author's Note: Hi. Long time no read, yeah? Well, I took a short break after All Because of a Bludger, although, I would have started this story up sooner, but there was an, er, problem. You see, I have a laptop computer. It's my life. LoL. Just kidding (even though I would be depressed for a very long time if something happened to it). Anyways, I have a battery charger for it, you know? Well, the battery charger broke, so I had to order another one. Well, that took around five days. During those five days, since my mom has a laptop just like mine, I had to share her battery charger. Ugggggghhhhh. That was awful. Yeah. So. Anyways. . .**

**I'm sure that was very interesting to the _zero_ of you who actually read that last paragraph. Don't worry, I don't blame if you just completely skip all of my author's notes. . .**

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_Chapter Seven_

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"Is it getting to the point where you have to stalk her, to get her to go out with you, James?"

Stupid Sirius.

"_No._ I was just. . .trying to find her, so I could. . .you know, ask her to Hogsmeade, Sirius." I started defensively,"And, of course, Lily will say yes and then I'll win the bet, you know." Damn. I looked back down at the Marauders' Map for The Name: Lily Evans.

"No, you're not, James." Sirius said with a smirk as he flipped through an old quidditch magizine. "You are horrible at lieing, _you know_?" Today is a rainy November twelveth. It's also Saturday.

I threw a nearby shoe at Sirius. It hit directly on target. _Yes!_ James Potter doesn't miss. He never does. He gets a target and he hits directly.

If only asking Lily Evans for one measly date would be as simple as hitting a target. Unfortunately, things in life just aren't easy. I mean, really. Why couldn't I just walk up to Lily calmly and ask her, also calmly? For Merlin's sake, it was easier asking out a girl for the FIRST time, than it is asking Lily Evans out.

I remember asking a girl out for the first time. I was fifteen. Ahhhh, so long ago. The memories of boyhood, you know, since I'm a man now. So now, it's the memories of manhood, instead of boyhood.

Anyways, the first girl I ever asked out was. . .er, what was her name? Blimey, How could I forget the girl's name?

"Hey, Remus?" I asked said person as he dipped his quill into his inkwell and began an essay that was due Tuesday. Pfft. What is with him? Doing essay on a Saturday when you could be doing what I'm doing, which is. . .er, try to find a girl on the Marauders map. Yes, that is so much more productive.

"Hmmm?" He asked absentmindly.

"Do you remember the name of the girl I first asked out?"

Remus looked up from his essay, an eyebrow raised,"You don't remember? Didn't you asked her out in fifth year?"

"Yes. . ."

"That was only two years ago, James. How could you forget? Is your memory really that bad?" Remus asked in amusement.

I heard a snort from Sirius. "No, I don't think James' memory being bad has anything to do with it. If you remember correctly, James was rejected." Sirius laughed. "I suppose you wanted to block out that memory so it wouldn't hurt your delicate ego."

Another shoe was thrown. Honestly, if I ever lose a shoe, just look over by Sirius' bed and I'll find it.

"Shove off, Sirius." I replied moodily. _That_ was why I didn't remember her name. Because I wanted to forget that most tramatizing event.

"Well, before I shove off, the name of the girl who rejected you was Elizabeth. You know, from Ravenclaw."

Oh, _right_- No. . .I really don't remember her. Huh. That must have been an even more tramatizing event than I originally thought.

Anyways, why can't I just walk up to Lily and ask her? I mean, it should be easy. She's alone more than half the time, so I wouldn't ever have to worry about trying to pry her away from her friends or anything. And Lily's completely nice. She would be nice about it. If she rejected me. Which she won't. But, wait. Why am I so worried then? Because I think she'd reject me? Lily Evans, reject me? That would be impossible, though. I mean, why would she? But then, why is it so hard to ask her? Is it guilt from the bet? Is is guilt from the way I've treated her through the years? No, because even though I sort of ignored her a lot and even played a few pranks on her, I've always been on "okay" terms with Lily Evans-. . .

Merlin. This is getting so confusing. I don't think asking a girl out has ever been more complicatingly confusing.

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What does he think he's doing out there with her?- Well, I just assume it's Lily's precious _Andrew_, as she likes to call him. I like to call him arse-faced Ravendrew when Lily's not around though. I just assume it's him since I'm sitting in Mcgongall's classroom writing _I will not transfigure Walter Georgetown's owl into a pile of dung again_ one hundred times while the two sit out by themselves- yes, by them_selves_- under a tree near the lake.

And considering Mcgongall's classroom is on the eighth floor of Hogwarts, it's a bit hard to see if it's him. I've never even met the conceited prat before, so how should I know what he looks like, especially from a hundred feet up in a stuffy, old classroom.

I just recognized Lily because of her red hair. And because she mentioned at lunch (I sat with her, alone this time and forever more. Never will I have my friends sit with me while I'm with her. I mean, considering last time they did, Lily probably got the impression they were a bunch of clowns) that she was going to tutor Andrew afterwards. And it was "afterward" now.

Speaking of eating lunch with her, from the fifteen sentences she said during the entire lunch period, four of them were about _Andrew_, her dreambloke, apparently. That means that almost one-third of what she talked about at lunch was Mr. I-like-to-ruin-James-Potter's-life-by-trying-to-make-him-lose-his-bet-and-sweep-Lily-off-her-feet-and-also-sweep-her-away-from-James-Potter.

Here are the ten sentences Lily said to me today at lunch (I remember quite a lot when I want to, just not tramatizing events such as getting rejected by the first girl I asked out. . .although, I would like to forget these ten sentences because they are quite depressing):

"Hello, James, how are you today?"

"Can you pass the potatoes?"

"Can you pass the salt?"

"Andrew's doing a lot better now in potions, but he's starting to slip some in transfigurations now. He really is a nice guy, James. It's a shame you two haven't really talked before, he likes quidditch too, though he's not on the Ravenclaw team." (Of course he's not on the quidditch team. He's a talentless git, why would he?)

"Can you pass the salt again?" (The potatoes really weren't that good today, I had to add salt about five times before they alright)

"Can you pass the pitcher of pumpkin juice?"

"Why did the chocolate frog cross the road, James?" (Well, I know it was lame to try and tell her a joke, but what else could I do? I didn't know what else to say. My mind sort of freeze up. On the plus side though, Lily laughed at the joke. And not in a Ha-ha-ha-I'm-just-trying-be-polite-and-laugh-at-your-pathetic-excuse-for-a-joke way. It was an amused laugh, a real laugh. Lily's just that way. That nice-to-everyone sort of way)

"Yes, I have to admit, the potatoes rather do taste like. . .crap."

"I'm staying here over the holidays, too. It's our last year at Hogwarts and I want to spend as much time here, as possible." (Me too, Lily)

"Thanks for offering a walk, James, but I already promised Andrew a tutoring session today after lunch." (Okay, I asked her to go on a walk with me outside. Of course, perfect Andrew already asked Lily to tutor him)

"My birthday's June 20th." (Another lame attempt to get a conversation going. Honestly, I just can't think of what to say around Lily)

"Well, see you later, James."

Right. I know, excruxiatingly lame lunch period. It's just, with Lily, I don't know what to say to her. I don't know why, so don't asked why. There's just something about her that makes me forget anything that might be even the slightest bit normal to say to her.

"Mr. Potter! What, may I ask, are you writing?" Mcgongall's voice asked, just beside me.

I snapped my head from the window overlooking Lily and Mr. Dreamboy, to my paper.

_I will transfigure Walter Georgetown's arse-faced Ravendrew into a pile of dung again_

"_Crap_!" I hissed to myself, even though transfiguring arse-faced Ravendrew into a pile of dung would be very nice. I then turned to Mcgongall with a sheepish grin,"Er, sorry, professor. My mind must be somewhere else today."

Mcgongall raised an eyebrow,"And I suppose, by the looks of it, your mind is on things _much_ more important, I suppose."

"Er, is that a trick question?"

She sighed tiredly and walked back to her desk,"Just get back to writing, Potter."

I glanced out once more to Lily and _him_ before scratching out my previous sentence and began my sixty-fourth sentence again.

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It's raining. And I missed arse-faced Ravendrew. Lily still outside. In the rain. Dancing. Yes, dancing. Why she is dancing in the rain, I don't know. I decided to ask her that after standing under a tree for a few seconds watching her in bewilderment.

After finishing writing my _I will not. . ._ detention, I made my way down towards the grounds, to, you know, just happen to run into Lily and her Dreamboat, _Andrew_.

Well, Andrew had apparently already went in, so, I didn't get to have the pleasure of meeting him. Right. Anyways, while arse-faced Ravendrew was off to conduct some other way to ruin my life, Lily was dancing in the rain. She was completely soaked. And I was getting completely soaked myself as I walked towards her.

"Lily?"

Lily had obviously thought she was alone during her dancing ritual and was a bit flustered at being caught at it. "James!" She paused, her dancing finished, I guess. She was standing awkwardly, her bag laying forgotten on the ground. "Er, hello. I was just. . ."

"Dancing in the rain?"

"Um, well, yes. . ." She was obviously embarrassed. So, being the wonderful guy I am, and Lily being the ever-so-nice girl she is, I decided to act as cool about this as possible. I mean, everyone knew, including Lily Evans herself, that Lily Evans _dancing in the rain_ was just something you didn't see.

I nodded my head as we both stood awkwardly in the rain. I'm sorry to say that the whole Lily-makes-me-unable-to-say-something-actually-normal thing came back to me right then.

"What are you doing out here?" Lily asked hastily as she quikcly went to get her bag, which was also completely soaked.

"Er. . .well, I just got out of detention and decided to come outside for a while. Didn't know it was raining."

Lily nodded.

I took a stab at asking a burning question. "Do you dance in the rain much, Lily?" I honestly wanted to know. I wasn't making fun of her or anything.

Lily bit her lip and flushed even deeper now. "Er. . .no. I, actually, never have before this."

Ah. That was. . .odd. I was amused now. "If you don't mind me asking then, why did you decide to dance in the rain just now?"

I could see that Lily was starting to find this situation a bit amusing also. A small smile spread across her face, making me grin,"Um, well, I guess it was just an impulse of the moment sort of thing."

"Do you have these impulse of the moment things often?" I inquired.

Lily looked me straight in the eye, still looking a bit embarrassed, though she looked ready to start laughing right there and then. "Not too often, I suppose. . .Do you ever have impulse of the moment things?"

I stared at Lily. She was completely soaked, her red hair darker than usual since it was wet, her teeth were beganning to chatter from the chilliness of the rain. Her green eyes were still on me.

Then there was me. Also soaked to the bone, hair probably matted down from being wet and staring at Lily Evans like an idiot probably.

I couldn't think of a funnier situation than this. Lily Evans, dancing in the rain. It seemed so unlike her. Although, I really couldn't think of anyone I knew that seemed like the person to dance in the rain.

I grinned at her,"I think I'm having an impulse of the moment right now, actually."

Lily looked at me curiously,"Really?"

"Yeah." With that, I scooped her up in my arms- okay, don't start thinking it was something romantic though. Although, that would be somewhat nice, since, if it was and Lily realized that it was, than she'd figure out that I wanted her to go to Hogsmeade with her and she'd asked me, instead of me asking her and this whole bet thing would be over.

Honestly, though. It wasn't that romantic. First of all, even though I don't go around reading those sappy, crappy love novels that girls somehow find wonderful for some absurd reason, I do know some of the overused lines in them, thanks to my mum saying them to my father a gazillion and one embarrassing times. . .

"Harold, why can't you "throw your arms around me and kiss me with a passion that burns likes the sun"?"

"What was that, dear? I was reading the _Prophet_-"

"Or why don't you ever say "My darling, my love, my dear, I am not worthy of your loveliness. Of your beauty. Of your charm. Of your talent-"

"Because I am worthy. In fact, my "loveliness", "beauty", "charm", and "talent" is just as good as yours- ah! Here's what I was looking for! Tomorrow's weather prediction."

That's just embarrassing. Plain and simple.

Anyways, back to scooping Lily into my arms.

You know how some of the mushy, gushy romance novels say something along the lines of,"She fit perfectly in his arms. It was like they became one" or something like that? Well, believe me. Lily didn't fit perfectly, and we didn't become one- that would be rather odd, actually, to just, you know, mold into one person. Kind of scary, actually- not that I'd be scared or anything. Lily's elbow was stabbing into my ribs, just about knocking the wind out of me. The whole way of holding her was rather awkward.

Here's another line: "He couldn't help but notice how feather light she was". Pfft. Okay, now, I'm not saying that Lily weighs three hundred pounds or anything, really, I'm not. Lily's a petite girl. She really doesn't weight much. Probably just the average weight of a seventeen year old girl. . .it's just, even though I'm strong, you know, picking up a hundred and ten pound girl really isn't the easiest thing in the world.

There you go. The next time you go around reading one of those sappy, crappy love, dovey novels, remember this: They are excruxiatingly fake.

Lily gave a yelp in surprise and grabbing onto the back of my neck for dear life, her eyes squeezed shut,"James! What are you _doing_?"

"What am I doing?" I repeated. I laughed and spun her around, trying to ignoring her elbow digging into my ribs, along with her fingernails now digging into the back of my neck. "I'm having an impulse of the moment!"

Lily heard my laughing and slowly opened her eyes. She blinked at me. Once. Twice. Three times before bursting out in laughter along with me. Her fingers hesitantly let go of their death grip on my neck, thankfully. "You know," She said, smiling at me,"I don't feel as entirely stupid for dancing in the rain now that you've gone and done this."

I didn't really know what to say, since I forgot, once again, what normal talking was in front of Lily. Instead, I just twirl her around again, grinning at her. Lily leaned her head back and stuck her tongue out.

"You know, you're suppose to stick your tongue out for snowflakes, not raindrops." I told her. I inwardly cursed. Was that something stupid to say or what?

Lily closed her mouth, saying,"I didn't know that." She said with a chuckle,"Could you keep from telling anyone that I did otherwise."

Her elbow was really starting to get me now. "Sure, I'll try."

Lily didn't reply this time, instead, she just turned her head away, still smiling.

I finally had let go of her, I felt as though her elbow had dug a hole right through my ribs. Lily stood still for a moment as the usually silence fell between us, before grabbing her bag once again, since it had fallen off her shoulder as I grabbed her.

I ran a hand through my sloshy hair anxiously as I absentmindly watched Lily put the bag on her should again. When she finished, Lily turned her eyes back to me. We stood silently for a few seconds. The silence between us had slowly become. . .I don't know the word for it. . .Comfortable? No. That couldn't be it, could it? Maybe normal. Yeah, normal. The silence had become normal. It wasn't as bad anymore, I suppose. Say something, James. . .

. . .Say anything, you imbecile!

"You're wet." I blurted out.

Lily looked amused. "You are too."

"I suppose that's what rain does to us. Get us wet, I mean." I replied back.

"Yes, I suppose so."

"We're still standing in the rain. Getting wet." Thanks, Mister James the Obvious.

Lily said in a startled voice, as though she just realized my piece of information,"Oh! Right." She began to hurriedly rush up to the castle entrance, myself following close behind.

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It was empty as we stepped into the castle, closing the large doors behind us. The floor soon had a nice size water puddle from us, along with mud from our shoes.

The silence that was almost always around was still hanging over us, from me not being able to speak normally and from Lily, just, well, not speaking because that's what she does a lot. Not speak, I mean.

After a few moments of silence and drying charms being said, I spoke,"Well, that was. . .interesting."

Lily let out a small laugh,"Yes, it was."

"I didn't know impulses of the moment things could be so interesting." I continued.

"Yes."

I could ask her now. To Hogsmeade, I mean. We just had a, er, bonding moment back there, laughing and prancing around in the rain, she would have to say yes to me.

"Lily," I started quickly. Lily looked a bit startled as she pointed her wand at her hair. "Yes?" I ran a hand through my still wet hair. "I was wondering. . ."

I glance at her. Lily was completely dry now, excluding her bag. Her hair was tangled and messy from the rain; and her clothes were a bit muddy and wrinkled. She didn't look like the normal everyday Lily Evans. She made my stomach feel as though a snitch was fluttering around in my stomach; don't get me wrong though, she didn't look like a ugly hag or anything. Quite the opposite really.

I was beganing to have another impulse of the moment. And I wasn't liking it. It was a weird impulse. It was an impulse that I, thankfully, was able to control. It was an impulse that involved my lips on Lily's lips and it started with a "K". Yes, i that /i . Is that loony or what?

"I was wondering if, you know, you wanted to maybe- if you wanted to, of course, go to. . ." trailed off,". . .to the library sometime next week and see if there was any, er, charms to help decorate the Great Hall for the winter ball."

The _library_? Where had _that_ come from, James? Blimey! I meant to say Hosmeade, not the bloody _library_!

Lily didn't seem to notice since she just agreed, saying it was fine.

Oh, good God. I am really beganing to regret agreeing to this bet. It's making me go insane. No. _Lily Evans_ is making me go insane. And not in a good way. . .of course, there is no good way of going insane, but, well, you know what I mean. . .don't you?

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**Author's Note: There it is. James is quite the confused bloke, isn't he?**

**Eye Heart Music**


	8. Hypothetically Speaking, Of Course

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**A/N: Hi, again: )**

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_Chapter Eight_

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"How about enchanted candy canes, James? The book says they're suppose to sing Christmas carols." Lily explained as she fingered through _Christmas Magic_. If only they had a book entitled, _Girl Magic_. Maybe'd it give a few tips on how to ask a girl out.

"Oh, sure, Lily. They sound great." Truthfully, I really didn't care whether we had enchanted candy canes or make the ceiling have a snowfall. Or about whether the punch should be red or green (both Christmas colors, you know). Well, I sort of do care if the punch turns out green. People'd start to think it was expired or something.

"Good." Lily said, slowly and neatly writing "Enchanted Candy Canes" on a spare piece of parchment in which had all of our notes for the ball written on them. "James?"

I was just about finished with my snitch draw (I was suppose to be jotting down some spells that might help us with enchanting a Christmas tree to sing (I suppose it could join the enchanted candy canes in a duet or something) carols). My drawing was successfully hidden from Lily's view since there were so many books littered across the table from our research. "Hmmm?

"Is that a snitch?"

Oh, crap. I guess my drawing wasn't that succesfully hidden that well after all.

I laughed sheepishly. "No. . .it's actually, erm, a. . .drawing of a. . .rare mistletoe that lives in the, you know, icy barren land of Antarctica. It's, er, quite interesting actually. The book says that it," I quickly grabbed the closest book to me and opened it, making sure Lily couldn't read the pages. "It has a hard, rough texture, sort of like a round shell to, you know, protect it from the cold."

I looked up after a few seconds of silence to see Lily smiling at me in amusement,"It's quite a talent to read upside, James."

Oops.

I hastily turned the book the right way before closing it in defeat. "Okay. You got me. It is a snitch. It isn't some rare mistletoe from Antarctica."

A small laugh was heard from Lily. "James, take a break."

Sounds tempting. . .

"No. . .I fine."

I'm not really fine. . .I'm bored out of my mind, but Lily doesn't have to know that.

"You're bored of your mind, just go take a break." Lily continued.

Weird. . .I really hope she can't read my mind. . .er, Lily if you can read my mind right now. . .just, you know, wink. . .or something. Oh, and by the way, would you mind going to Hogsmeade with me?

Lily, thankfully, did not wink. Instead, she looked down and began reading a book entitled, _Charms for the Holiday Season_. I wonder if they have any books entitled _Charms for the Girls_. You know, one that would also give advise on how to ask a girl out. Without looking up, she just continued,"No, it's alright, really. Just go get a snack or something. . ." She trailed off,"Ah. Here. How about ice sculptures that dance?" She laughed."That would be interesting, wouldn't it?"

I just stared at her. And, no, not because her mentioning ice sculptures was just a mind blowing idea or anything (that would be quite funny actually). Lily had mentioned to me to "go get a snack or something". Well, any Hogwarts student knew they didn't just have food lying around all the time in the Great Hall. In fact, other than breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there really wasn't anywhere to "go get a snack or something". . .unless you count the kitchens.

"You found the kitchens?" I blurted out.

Lily turned the page in her book before looking up at me,"Er, yes. . ."

"How?" I asked. I mean, I know the kitchens aren't completely secret, but not that many knew about it. And I really didn't expect Lily Evans to know where they were. She just didn't seem like the I-know-where-the-kitchens-are type of person, you know?

". . .I stumbled across it once." Lily said slowly.

Huh.

All she had to do was "stumbled across" the kitchen when it took us Marauders seven monthes to find the bloody place after over hearing a couple of seventh years talking about in our second year.

Maybe I should get her to join up with the Marauders. She'd be good when it comes down to finding secret passages, maybe. I mean, we've kind of settled down some from our "troublemaking" as some would like to call it. I like to call it an extracurricular activity. Anyways, we've been breaking off from pranks and such. We still do them, of course, but, just not as much anymore, you know? Remus says it's because we've "grown up", but I like to think we've just found better extracurricular activities. . .like finish essays and, er. . .go to class. . .and sleep. . .and, well, that's about it, I think.

Oh, blooming gillywig. Remus was _right_. We have grown up. . .

Wow. . .I always imagined growing up to be. . .less boring. . .it's actually a whole lot more boring than I ever thought.

"Cool." I said after a few seconds. The "normal" (as I think of it now) silence fell over us. "Do you want to go with me?"

Lily looked startled at my question."Oh, no thank you, James. I'm fine."

"Lily." I said. She raised an eyebrow. "Come on. Let's go to the kitchen's."

"Really, I'm fine." Lily replied back as I stood, picking up my bag and lifting it over my shoulder.

"Lily." That's all I think to say.

Join me, Lily. . .Join me! Muhahaha. Join the evil side, Lily. Join the side that takes a break from the library once and a while.

Lily watched me for a moment before sighing softly and closing her book and picking up her bag,"Alright, but just for a while. . .I am a bit famished." She admitted sheepishly.

"I knew that. I could read your mind." Oooh. Lame comment, James. What am I? Five? Score negative one for me. Woo hoo.

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"Alright. Chocolate frogs or licorice wands?" I asked as I, as Remus likes to say while Sirius and I eat, "inhaled" my second ice cream cone. Chocolate ice cream, might I add.

Lily took another bite from her pumpkin pie slice. "Hmmm. Neither."

"What?" I asked in bewilderment.

"I like Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans. You really never know what you're going to get. I like the surprise." She paused before laughing, a bit red in the face, might I add. "That's a stupid reason for liking them, right?"

Nothing was stupid when it came down to sweets, I know that since I'm a professional eater of them.

"Nothing's stupid when it comes to candy."

Lily took another bite,"That's good."

"You can never make a fool of yourself in front of candy. It's impossible."

It's true. You can't. Candy is your best friend. All the time. It's with you in your greatest times of need. Like when you lose your essays. Or when you lose all of your underwear. Or when you lose your glasses. Or when you lose your quidditch matches. Or when you lose your bets. Yes, candy is always there when you are feeling your lowest.

I'd like to give candy a pat on the back for everything it's done for me. Thank you, Candy.

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Lily gave another one of her laughes. I like her laughes. They're nice. Unlike some people's laugh for which I will not mention. . .cough- Peter/pig snorting laugh- cough. "You and Sirius really were able to drink twenty bottles of butterbeer by yourselves?"

"Yeah, Remus and Peter dared us." I said with a grin.

Ah. That wonderful event. Remus and Peter dared me and Sirius to drink twenty bottles of butterbeer. We did it. I drank ten. Sirius drank ten.

I just, you know, forgot to mention the part where Sirius and I both threw up promptly after finishing off said twenty butterbeers. Oh, and I guess I, you know, also forgot to mention that we visited the toilet ten or more times that night probably because our bladders were full, but whatever.

"I never know what to expect from you four." Lily said with a smile and shake of her head. She took another bite of pie.

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"James?"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Do you remember how we decided to go to the ball together a few days ago? Since we're both heads?" Lily asked me as I started "inhaling" my third ice cream cone.

"Sure." I wish going to the winter ball with her would count as a date. I would so win this bet. . .but, of course, I'm going to win this bet anyways, anyways.

"Well, erm, someone sort of asked. . .asked me. And I sort of said yes." Lily said, going red.

It's funny because I could have sworn she just said someone asked her to the ball and she said yes.

"You remember Andrew, don't you? Well. . .he- he asked me."

It's also funny because I could have sworn she just said arse-faced Ravendrew asked her. That's funny, isn't it?

What's even _more_ funny is that I just crushed my ice cream cone and now there's ice cream squeezing through my crushing grip. And it's squeezing straight into my lap. I only wish it was Ravendrew's skull that I was squeezing. And that it was his brains squeezing through my crushing grip- well, that'd be a bit gross. Anyways, isn't that just, you know, utterly funny?

"Er, James. . .are you alright?" Lily asked as she watched my hand with the now crushed ice cream cone curiously.

I gave her a winning smile. "Of course." That dimwitted-

"I'm just. . ." -stupid, two-faced-

"Fine. . ." -big headed berk.

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Ahhh.

Sleep.

It's a wonderful thing, sleep. Get's you away from reality for awhile.

If only I could do that. Sleep, I mean. It just wouldn't come to me later that night as I listened to my other three roommates sleep. Remus was breathing in and out normally. Sirius kept muttering about something or someone. I prefer to ignore what Sirius mumbles in his sleep. It could leave damage. Peter snores in his sleep. I don't know what's worse, Sirius' mumbling or Peter's snoring.

Anyways, back to me.

I couldn't sleep. Lily's words just kept playing over and over in my head. I wish I could turn her voice off, no matter how nice it may be.

_You remember Andrew, don't you? Well. . .he- he asked me._

I wonder if I could figure out arse-faced Ravendrew's common room password. And, you know, just slip in to visit him in his sleep. And, you know, give him a nice bat-bogey hex. I'm sure he'd love that. It could, you know, be a birthday present. . .whenever it is. His birthday, that is.

God, he ruins everything. Really, he does!

I might rant about him every chance I get, but it's for good reason, believe me.

The bet was to get Lily to go to _Hogsmeade_ with me, not the winter ball. So, I still have a chance of getting her Hogsmeade, it's just, I'm sure Mr. Andrew-the-Bimbo asked Lily to the ball as more than a friend. And then, that would kind of make them an "item". Then I couldn't ask her. Because she'd be taken.

Which is rather ironic, if you think about it. It would usually be _me_ taken, instead of Lily. I mean, not that Lily _couldn't_ be taken or anything. It's just, I'm usually _more_ taken than she is. . .whatever.

Anyways, since I haven't been able to sleep, I took the liberty of finding ten reasons why _Dreambloke_ should just go get himself lost in a vanishing cabinet. Or perhaps drowned himself in gillyweed. Whichever. As long as he leaves me and Lily alone.

10- He's ruining my chance of winning the bet.

9- He's up to no good when it comes to Lily.

8- He's a git.

7- He's a big git.

6- He's a big, dim git.

5- He's a big, dim, cowardly git.

4- He's a big, dim, cowardly, arse-faced git.

3- He's a big, dim, cowardly, arse-faced, nerdy git.

2- He's a big, dim, cowardly, arse-faced, nerdy, two-faced git.

1- He's a big, dim, cowardly, arse-faced, nerdy, two-faced, hideous git.

There. Ten _very_ good reasons Ravendrew should get himself lost in a vanishing cabinet or drowned himself in gillyweed.

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"Hey, Remus."

"What?" Remus muttered grumpily as I gave him a shove. He groggily sat up in his bed and stared at me for a moment. He looked a bit out-of-it, to me. I can't understand why. It's only 2:30 in the morning. If someone woke me up at that time, I'd be in a chipper mood.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a, you know, hypothetically question."

He sighed tiredly. I don't know why. "Couldn't the hypothetically question wait about-" He looked to the clock,"-four hours, James?"

"No, not really. Why?" I asked.

"Maybe because I'd like to get a decent amount of sleep tonight."

"It's morning."

Remus scoffed and hit me over the head with his pillow. "Go ask, Peter. I'm sure he'd be delighted to help." He said laying back down and closing his eyes.

Well.

That was rude. I mean, I'm having a life crisis and Remus tells me to go ask Peter. Ha. Right. That's very funny, Remus.

"Remus," I started quietly as I heard Sirius shift in his bed. "I have this friend, okay? This hypothetical friend of mine- let's call him. . .Hypothetical John- who hypothetically has this problem, you know? Hypothetical John has this bet, you see? He's hypothetically suppose to ask his other hypothetic person out. Let's call her Hypothetical Jill, okay? Well, Hypothetical John has to ask Hypothetical Jill out to, you, a hypothetical Hogsmeade before, let's hypothetically say, December first. And, you see, hypothetically, this other hypothetical jerk comes and askes Hypothetical Jill to a, hypothetically speaking, winter ball, sort of, you know, making them a hypothetical "item". What would Hypothetical John do, Remus? Hypothetically speaking, of course." I asked.

Remus would never guess that I was _actually_ talking about myself and Lily and stupid _Andrew_. No, never.

Remus laid for quite some time with his eyes closed without answering me. I was just about to poke him, thinking he was asleep when he sighed tiredly again. Without opening his eyes, Remus muttered,"Well, hypothetically speaking, James. I would say that _Hypothetical John_ should not worry about the other two hypothetical people becoming an hypothetical "item" as you call it. If he's really thinks they're an "item", then he should back off this bet. And, if he thinks that they're not an "item", he should try and ask this _Hypothetical Jill_ out before someone else actually does." Remus sighed again and rolled on his side, his back to me. "Personally though, I think _Hypothetical John_ should just back out of this bet anyway, no matter what. But I doubt the hypothetical guy would listen to a non-hypothetical person like me."

Interesting. It's too bad I fell asleep half way through his "Hypothetical" speech. I'm sure it would have been very inspiring.

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**Eye Heart Music**


	9. Murderous Christmas Decor

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I'm sure anyone who actually reads my disclaimers are really, super duper surprised by this statement. Yes. I'm sure.**

**A very frustrated author's note: Hi. I'm frustated. Very frustated, as was already said in the title of this note. While you read this chapter, remember the fact that the author is very clumsy and accidently deleted the chapter twice. Yes. I have deleted this chapter twice already. This is my third try. I swear I will throw my laptop down to the floor if I delete it again. . .well, I won't swear to it since I doubt very highly I could ever throw my laptop down, since, you know, I really don't have any back-up laptops just lieing around. Maybe I'll just stick to weeping my heart out of if the chapter's deleted again. Yeah, that sounds better.**

**Please forgive James if he seems entirely too angry and moody this chapter, it is just because the author is entirely too angry and moody.**

**I had some other stuff written down in this note in previous versions of this chapter, but right now, I am just too totally frustrated to type them out. Here's the third typed out version of chapter nine.**

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_Chapter Nine_

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_- Christmas Smells, Christmas Smells_

_Smells all the way_

_Oh, how lame it is to ride_

_In a one-horse open sleigh-_

"Hey, er, I'll fix the candy canes." I suggested to the fifth year prefect who was frantically trying to shut the candy canes and their lovely version of _Jingle Bells_, up.

The prefect looked hestitant. "Are you sure? I'm certain I can fix them-"

"No, for the love of God, _no_!- I mean, just go ask Lily for something else to do. I'm sure she'll find something."

Honestly. I don't know what was up with the prefects today, maybe it was getting up at the crack of dawn or pre-ball jitters, but they just totally _suck_ when it comes to magic today. This morning has been so fun. Not.

Because this morning has been so not fun, I now hate Christmas. I hate Christmas trees too. I also hate mistletoes too. And that chubby bloke who supposed goes down muggle chimneys. I hate anything that has to do with Christmas. Like red. And green. And the letters C, H, R, I, S, T, M, A, S. Do you know what else I hate right now? Those lame, one-horse open sleighs-

Ahem.

Excuse me. I am a bit stressed.

Just a bit.

Stressed.

I've only been up since five this morning being tackled by Christmas trees, strangled by ropes of tinsel, pelted by a bunch of annoying mistletoes, oh, and punched in the nose by a ice sculpture.

I wouldn't be surprised if I died today. That would be very embarrassing though. I mean, dieing at the hands of a Christmas tree? Or should I say branches? Whatever. Doesn't matter. I think if anyone is going to the lengths of dieing, they should at least die heroically or something. You know, saving someone from a raging fire or. . .you know.

Although, I have to admit, dieing doesn't seem like a bad idea today (as long as it's heroically), considering the stress I'm under right now. First, there's this whole stupid ball. Why didn't we decided to have a trip to Diagon Alley or something as the special activity Heads are suppose to plan instead? Balls are always way overrated anyways. They have stale food, bad dancers, and usually lame music. Of course, this ball will be fairly good, I suppose. Lily's worked very hard for it to be (I have too, but well, I think Lily's the one who should be credited, not me).

The house elves are making the food (of course) so, the food won't be stale, it'll be awesome (of course). I can't say the ball won't have bad dancers. I chose the music, which is a band, so nothing to worry about there.

On to the next reason I'm stressed out. There are less than twenty-four hours until midnight. Which means I have less than twenty-four hours to ask Lily to Hogsmeade. Which means I have less than twenty-four hours before the bet is up. There you go.

I've been trying to subtly get Lily to tell me if her and Ravendrew are an item, but no such luck. She really doesn't have much to say. She never really does have much to say, but that's not the point. The point is-. . .oh, good grief. I've forgot what the stupid point was.

I turned my attention back to the candy canes and just after stunning them, ducked. A flock of popcorn whizzed by my head. The same popcorn that was _suppose_ to be on string and decorating a Christmas tree right about now. A sixth year prefect ran past me promptly after the popcorn.

"Come back here, you blast popcorn!"

Honestly.

If it wasn't for Lily and me, Hogwarts would surely be overrun with vicious Christmas decorations right about now. If the professors, you know, join in and help us decorate the Great Hall for tonight, we really wouldn't have any problems. But, _no_, they want us to do this on our own, for whatever lame reason they have.

Oh, joy. Someone just set lose a peppermint that bites.

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"Lily!" I exclaimed, dropping a chair that had somehow (only Merlin knows) been charmed to walk around knocking people from behind so they'd fall into its seat. A few feet away, Lily had just been tackled by rather large Christmas tree.

I hastily pushed through the crowd of prefects that began to surround Lily and the tree from a safe distance. "Oy, move, you lot, move!" I called. Were they deaf today? "Hey, is that a snake?" I asked in fake wonder. That certain lie got people to move. Maybe they weren't as deaf as I thought.

As soon as I got to the front of the crowd, I stunned the overgrown prune ontop of Lily, who was rather hard to see at all considering the tree looked to be twice her size. Me and a couple of others moved in to push the tree off her. This whole tree tackling thing was beganing to become very normal to all of us. Merlin knows how many people have been tackled by the annoying oafs today.

After the tree had been moved off of her, Lily stood up and grabbed her wand, not looking too shaken or startled even though she had just been tackled by a tree. But, as I already said, being tackled was becoming normal for all of us.

"Thanks." She said simply. We (who helped moved the tree off of her) said our "your welcome" 's as the crowd began to thin out.

Just as I began to head back to the bloody walking chair (which, wasn't were I had left it, it had obviously walked off to find some victim to knock back into its seat), I was stopped. No.

I was tackled. By a tree. Again. For the fourth time today. This was getting a bit tiring.

Guess who my not-so-mysterious tackler was?

No, it wasn't Merlin or Dumbledore saying what a smashing wizard I was and did I want my face plastered all over those chocolate frog wizard cards?

Nor was Sirius coming to say that he was ending the bet now and was going to give me my broom and chocolate for the bet anyways.

Nor was it the quidditch captain of the Puddlemere United quidditch team saying what a smashing quidditch player I was and did I want to join the team as soon as I graduated from Hogwarts?

Nor was it Lily saying she'd love to go to Hogsmeade with me.

No. It was the same Christmas tree that had tackled Lily.

To anyone out there who hasn't been tackled by a Christmas tree- or any tree, really- than, I'll tell you right now that it's dark. The only thing you can see is the outline of the trees branches. It's also prickly. And a bit painful with the branches bashing you everywhere, especially in the eye and nose. It smells pine fresh, though.

I doubt anyone would want to be tackled by a tree, but who knows. Maybe I'm wrong (which isn't very often). Maybe some people do like getting tackled by trees. Some extremely disturbed people.

Anyways, since I'm not an extremely disturbed person, I did what I had done with the other three trees who had tackled me. I punched and kicked it. I swear I had the stupid bugger in a headlock once. If it had a head, that is.

Finally, after a few minutes, someone had apparently stunned it and people were now pushing the tree aside so I could get up.

I wish my Heads letter had mentioned being attacked by murderous Christmas decorations, part of the job. I would have resigned before even stepping foot on the Hogwarts Express.

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"James."

"What?" I asked irritably as I fixed my hair. Ahhh. Good. A nice hand-run-through-the-hair and it's perfectly windswept. Just the way I, along with everyone else, like it.

"Your shirts on backward."

Oh. Huh.

No wonder I felt funny trying to button the buttons from behind me. That took a while. But, really, it's not my fault if I was distracted. It's 9:00 (PM) and there's less than five hours before the bets up and I still haven't asked Lily to Hogsmeade.

"Are you alright, James?"

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" I asked, sliding my arms out of the sleeves and twisting the shirt around to it's proper position.

"Well, I don't know. It's just that you seem a bit distracted. You just button your shirt on backwards and didn't even notice and you put your shoes on in the shower a while ago. Oh, and you put Peter's pants on and had them on until he mentioned he couldn't find his."

Bugger. So maybe I was a bit too distracted right now. Too distracted to be healthy. Do you know that I've been so distracted lately, trying to ask Lily Evans to Hogsmeade and all, that I completely forgot to get a date for the ball?

Yay. Woo hoo. It's so fun being me.

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Where is she?

The ball's about to start and she isn't here yet. Lily, I mean.

All of the prefects and Heads had to start the first dance of the night with their dates. And, lucky me, I didn't have a date. So, I decided to ask Lily to dance with me. I mean, we're both Heads and it's not as though arse-faced Ravendrew has to dance the first dance since he's not even a prefect (why would he be a prefect, anyways?).

If I could only find her. Lily, I mean.

That's what I was trying to do as I stood amongst the large crowd standing outside the Great Hall, waiting for the ball to start. Just as I began craning my neck over the tops of people's heads, someone bumped into me.

"Oh, hey, James."

I vaguely remembered the someone as a Ravenclaw in my charms class. "Hey." I said distractedly, still searching for Lily.

He didn't seem to noticed though. Oblivious git. Just like the rest of those Ravenclaw's. Lily's perfect _Andrew_ is a perfect example. Even though I haven't met him before, I'm sure he's an oblivious git too. That's just the way those Ravenclaw's are. "Aren't you suppose to be with your date?" He askes.

Rub it in, why don't you.

"I didn't have time to get a date." I replied, somewhat truthfully, through gritted teeth.

He didn't seem to notice that either,"Oh. Huh. Who're you going to dance the first dance with then?"

"I was going to ask Lily."

"But, doesn't she already have a date?"

Why don't you rub in everything that's gone wrong lately in my life? _OH_. . .Wait. You already have. Just about, anyways.

"Yes. But, he's not a prefect, so he doesn't have to dance the first dance of the night." More gritting of the teeth.

He really must be oblivious to everything around him, though. "Oh. Huh. Why aren't you with Lily then?"

"Because I can't find her."

"You can't find her?" He repeated.

Well. He's succeeded. He's rubbed in everything that's gone wrong in my life lately. So far, anyways.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever." I said. "Listen, I've got to go find her. See you."

"Okay, see you later, mate!" The thick git called as I walk hastily off.

The day I become his "mate" is the day I have died and gone to James Potter heaven. Of course, considering how things have been going recently, that might just be happening very soon. So, maybe I should think of something else to say. The day I become his "mate" is the day I have- Nevermind. I'll just say it will never happen.

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Where is she?

"How do you like my dress robes, James?" Sarah asked me a few minutes later, no Linda twins in sight. Huh. That's a bit weird.

Her dress robes were nice. Very nice. I won't go into detail and describe them because I am not a girl. I am a boy. Man. Men do not go around describing clothes. Maybe some do, but I do not. I couldn't describe clothes if my life depended on it, anyways. Well, I suppose I can say that they (the dress robes, I mean) are red. There. That might give you some insight.

"Huh?- Oh. They're very nice, Sarah." I complimented vaguely.

"Thanks. Howard thinks they are too, don't you, Howard?" Sarah asked cheerfully as she patted the arm of a bloke that was standing next to her (I'm presuming that's her date). Howard grunt a "yeah".

"Hey, you're on the Hufflepuff quidditch team, aren't you?" I asked, recognizing him.

Howard moodily grunted another "yeah". Wow. I definitely know why Sarah agreed to go to the ball with him. He has such a charming personality.

As the two began to walk off, I called out to Sarah,"Hey, Sarah? You haven't seen Lily in your dormitory, have you?"

Sarah stopped and turned slightly and stated somewhat vaguely herself,"Yeah, she was still in the dorm when I left, actually." Then they left.

Blimey!

Lily stayed in her dorm longer than Sarah did (which is really saying something)! Lily never has striked me as a girl who spends a gazillion hours in her dorm getting ready for some ball. She doesn't strike me the girl to spend a gazillion hours in her dorm getting ready for _anything_, actually.

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Where, in gillywig heaven, is Lily?

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**Author's Note: Good God. I've never been so glad to finish a chapter. -laughs somewhat sheepishly- I feel fairly pleased with chapter, although, to me, it seems James might be a bit off character. He seems more moody to me. Maybe that's just because I'm not in the best of moods right now. Oh, well, I'm just happy to get the chapter finished. . .again. **

**By the way, there's a link at the top of my account page to my LiveJournal. The second latest entry shows a gorgeous banner I requested to be made for I Do on the-dark-arts (dot) com. The entry also shows a banner I made for Just the Girl. Since I don't have Photoshop or any appropriate software to really make any nice banners, it's rather. . .er, unique. I like it though and plan to make two others, one for Fooled Around and Fell in Love and one for It Is You I Have Loved, the future sequel for Just the Girl.**

**Toodles,**

**Eye Heart Music**

**P.S. If you have reviewed chapters seven or eight and haven't received a response by email (or by LiveJournal if the review was anonymous), don't think it's because I'm ignoring you, because that's definitely not the case. No, it's just because I'm finding replying to each and every review by email rather hard to do. It's hard to keep up with everyone I've responded to and who I haven't, I mean. I'll try to do better in the future: )**


	10. Endings

**Disclaimer: Okay, I've done this stupid disclaimer thing just about one hundred times for every single chapter of every single story I've ever typed up. I seriously doubt this disclaimer will be any different from the rest. I own nothing. See? I was right. Applause, anyone?**

**Author's Note: Hey. I'm updating. . .well, that's kind of obvious, but whatever. I've been wanting to start a new James/Lily story so much lately, but I keep reminding myself of a few monthes ago when I was being swamped with trying to update four stories at a time, so I'm trying to wait until I've finished this story and have at least just about finished Just the Girl. **

**Okay, now that we're past all the boring stuff, on with the chapter!- Which I really hope doesn't get deleted three times in a row by the story's clumsy author, Ms. Clumsy the Second.**

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_Chapter Ten_

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Where is she?

"Mr. Potter!"

I mean, Lily Evans being late to something? That just doesn't happen. What will Mcgongall say? I'd hate to be next to Professor Mcgongall when she finds out Lily isn't here yet.

"Mr. Potter, are you listening to me?"

Mcgongall can be one scary fire-breathing dragon when she wants to be (which is alot, actually). Though she doesn't become a fire-breathing dragon, literally or anything. Just figuratively. If her animagus was a dragon, I doubt any student would live to see their graduation day at the end of seventh year. Thank Merlin Mcgongall's animagus is only a cat.

"_Mr. Potter_!"

"Huh?- Oh. Professor Mcgongall! I was just thinking about you! Funny. . ." I trailed off. The prefects and Heads were beganing to make their way to the front of the crowd so they could be the first to enter the Great Hall to dance. And Lily wasn't anywhere to be found (neither was her _perfect_ date. Maybe her _perfect_ date has something to do with her disappearance-. . .maybe I should go search around castle. What if Ravendrew is trying to have his wicked way with her! Yes! Of Course! How hadn't I have see this before?). ". . .Professor, Lily's. . ." I trailed off again.

Oh, God. I didn't want to tell Mcgongall that Lily's missing. She'll bite my head off!

"What, Potter? Where is Ms. Evans? She was suppose to be here ten minutes ago!"

Too late. I'm getting my head bitten straight off. I suppose I can go join Nearly Headless Nick. "You see, Professor. Er. Well-. . .Lily, you say? She's, uh, she's-"

"Ah! There you are, Ms. Evans! Good. The prefects are already making their way to the front of the crowd." Professor started looking over my shoulder.

I turned to see Lily. And her date, Ravendrew. Lily seemed to be okay and didn't look like someone had tried to have their wicked way with her. In fact, she seemed rather too cheerful. I wonder just what exactly was going on between Lily and her git of a date. Of course, that's nothing new. I've been trying to figure that out for weeks.

"You and Mr. Potter must make haste and get to with the prefects- Mr. Potter!" I was torn from my thoughts of Lily and her perfect arse-face by Mcgongall.

"Er, yes?"

"Where, may I ask, is your date?"

Blimey. This is embarrassing. Having to explain why you don't have a date to your professor. Of course, I just forgot. . .which really is just as embarrassing in a way-

"Do you _have_ a date, Mr. Potter?" The professor asked wearily.

"Er. No. Not really, professor. I've been too business to, you know, ask anyone." I explained smoothly. She looked surprised at this statement. Mcgongall, I mean. I know. James Potter, without a date? What _has_ this world come to?

"Then who do you intend to dance the first dance with, Mr. Potter?"

This was even more embarrassing. Having to ask someone to dance with you in front of your professor. Why couldn't I have just died today by being suffocated by a string of tinsels this morning? Things would be so much easier if I had. Of died, I mean.

"Well, actually," I started quickly, glancing at Lily,"I was going to ask Lily to dance with me. I mean, we're both Head students. . ." I trailed off, letting the question hang in the air for a moment.

Lily seemed a bit startled that her name was brought up,"Oh. Well. Of course, James, if you need someone to dance with-. . .Is that alright with you, Andrew?" She asked. Everyone's gaze shifted to _Andrew_.

The git smiled. Well, I'm sure it was smirk deep down, you know, a smug smirk, trying to rub in the fact that he ruined my bet by taking Lily. I'm sure. "Oh, sure. That's fine, Lily." _Oh, sure. That's fine because I've already ruined James' bet, so what will it matter now?_ That's what he was really saying. In his head, that is.

"Good." Mcgongall said tensely- this ball really must be getting to her,"Now, Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans, up to the front, please." She gave my shoulder a small push as Lily began walking to the front, after saying she'd meet Ravendork after we finished the first dance.

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"This is. . .nice music." I started a bit sarcastically. The band chosen by me wasn't going to start until later that night since they had another concert today, so it was either have them play late at the ball or not play at the ball at all. Right now, there was just some boring, Fall-Asleep-Two-Seconds-After-Listening classical music.

Lily didn't seem to notice my tone,"Yes, I suppose it is."

I would be a liar if I said dancing with Lily Evans wasn't awkward. Because it is. Awkward, I mean. It's not like in those romance books my mum reads (and quote to my dad a lot, unfortunately) where when two people start dancing, everything else just seems to melt away and they're the only two people around. It's like time just stops. . . they're just floating on the air.

Another sign that love, dovey romance novels are excruciatingly fake.

It's not as though either of us were bad dancer or anything, that wasn't the problem. It's the awkward air around us. Unlike in those stupid love novels, I was very aware of _everyone_ and _everything_ around us. Time didn't stop- it just seemed to slow down a great deal. And not in a good way. And I know Lily and I both had our feet planted solidly on the floor below us.

Lily gave a sigh. It was a content, happy sigh. Not a Oh-Save-Me-Ravendrew-Is-So-Awful sigh."The ball is turning out nicely, isn't it?" She flashed me one of her smiles.

I glanced around the Great Hall, trying not to look into Lily's face (it would cause an even greater awkwardness between us),"Yeah. After all the Christmas tree tackling and biting peppermints, it did turn out fairly well." Lily laughed, I gave a small laugh with her. I really wasn't in the mood for laughter though.

It was now 10:00 (PM).

Two hours. That's all I had left. And I was being an utter coward. I just couldn't, for some stupid reason, ask Lily to Hogsmeade. This really was irritating to me because I'm a Gryffindor. Gryffindor's aren't suppose to be afraid. Especially me.

"After all the trouble, I think the trees turned out nicely." Lily complimented. Wow. She's doing quite a lot of talking tonight. Why is she so cheerful? Perhaps because the stress of the ball is finally over and now we can just sit back and relax (not literally, unfortunately). . .or, perhaps the reason why she was late was because her and Ravendrew had hot and heavy snogging session before coming here and _that's_ why she was so cheerful. . .

But, as much I tried, I really couldn't imagine _Lily Evans_ having a hot and heavy snogging session. . .I really just can't picture that. Not that I'd _like_ to picture her with Ravendrew having a hot and heavy snogging session, that's be just gross.

I glanced at Lily before setting my eyes on the Christmas trees. They did turn out good. As I looked around the Great Hall, I realized _everything_ turned out good. I mean, so far, no one's been tackled or bitten by Christmas decor, the ball really has turned out good.

I decided to do a bit of snooping now, knowing the Winter Ball had turned out okay, I had much more important things to worry about.

"So, what held you up earlier, you know, before outside the Great Hall." I asked.

Lily turned red.

I was right! They _did_ have a hot and heavy snogging session before coming here!

"I couldn't find my wand." Oh. Wait. So they didn't have a hot and heavy snogging session. I knew that picture just wasn't working in my head. . .She was just red because she was embarrassed for losing her wand.

I gave her a grin,"Hey, nothing to be embarrassed about. I've lost my wand four times since I've started Hogwarts." Suddenly, the air wasn't as awkward, for some reason. I just hoped it would last.

Lily laughed and smiled again at me,"You know, whenever I'm around you, James Potter, I never feel as embarrassed by my mistakes."

Er. . .was that a compliment?

Alert. The awkwardness level is back and a lot more, well, you know, _awkward_.

Lily seemed to realize what she said,"Oh! I mean, I didn't mean it as an insult. . .or, um. . ." She trailed off awkwardly.

"It's okay." That's all I could say. Yes, that's all I could think to say. I'm such an idiot around Lily Evans.

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"So, James. . ."

"What?" I asked irritably to Sirius. I knew that tone. It was the How's-The-Bet-Coming? tone of his.

"How the bet coming?" He asked. See?

"I'm-. . .I'm going to ask her in a while." I said rather defeated.

"You do realize that also in a while it will be midnight, don't you?"

"Of course, I do!" I exclaimed. And I did. It was now 11:30. After the very long, first dance with Lily, I sat down at a medium sized round table with my fellow Marauders and had been sitting there ever since. The band had gotten here now and the music was a lot better. But, the music really didn't help improve my mood. The ball would be ending at 12:00. The bet would be ending at 12:00 also. I had an hour.

I had been thinking of ways to get Lily alone (no matter how awkward it may be) and ask her, but there always seems to be something that would make me rethink my plans.

Oh, hey. Lily and her perfect baboon of a date have finally finished dancing (they've been dancing _forever_) and currently are walking towards my table. Great. I get to meet Ravendrew.

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"I have to say, you two did a wonderful job with the ball, James."

I bet you thought we did a good job, you stupid berk.

I was standing around with Ravendork as Lily spoke to Remus about a charm used to make the candy canes sing carols. I really didn't want to talk to ol' arse-face, but he just didn't seem to get the message.

"And from what I've heard from Lily, you and her and the prefects' had quite a time this morning, preparing the ball." He laughed. Yes, laugh it up you evil, insensitve prat. His laugh was stupid. Peter's pig-snorting laugh is a hundred times better.

"We did." I replied politely.

"She said a few of you were tackled by the Christmas trees even!" He gave another one of his annoying laughs.

"Yeah, we were."

"Well, I suppose all that tackling was worth it, though, wasn't it?" He asked gesturing around the Great Hall towards the decorations.

"Yeah."

Silence. Ravendrew seemed to be thinking of something to say while I sat watching Sirius dance around some girl and then occasionally glancing over at Lily and Remus chatting away.

"Lily said you're on the Gryffindor quidditch team." Ravendrew started.

"Yeah."

He seemed a bit put out by my lack of words,"Cool."

"Yeah." I was starting to turn into Sarah's date, Howard, now. Great. Wonderful. My life just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it? I've become some troll who only grunts a "yeah" when necessary.

"Chaser, right?"

"Yeah." You're not even on the Ravenclaw team, Dreambloke!

"Cool."

As I sat and "chatted away" with Lily's perfect _Andrew_, I realized he wasn't so perfect at all. Very imperfect, actually. So why was a perfect (almost anyways) girl like Lily doing with a imperfect bloke like Ravendrew? He really wasn't that good-looking anyways. Of course, Lily doesn't strike me as the girl to go by looks, though.

What was I saying though? Her and Ravendork may not even be an item. They could jus be friends. So, I can go and ask Lily to Hogsmeade- but wait. What if they _are_ an item? I'm not going to be humliated and rejected because I made the mistake of thinking they weren't any item-

Oh, for the love of God, I'm going to ask Lily to dance with me and get this over with once and for all (it's now 11:45).

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"Arse- I mean, _Andrew_ seems like a nice person." I said lieing. It was a bit hard to say Ravendrew was a "nice person".

Lily faintly smiled,"Yes, he is."

"You two, you know, an item?" I asked casually after taking a deep breath.

Lily seemed to tense in my arms (where she didn't fit perfectly, unlike what those stupid romance novels say),"Er, no. We aren't." She answered. She seemed a bit embarrassed. Lily doesn't date much, I don't think.

"Oh." That's all I said. Wow. I'm sure my words are just so charming to Lily. That's why she's always so quiet. Because she in awe by my lack of normal words when I'm around her. Yes. Of course. That's why.

Even though I felt stupid by my reply, Lily's previous reply brought my spirits up some. They weren't an item, so I could ask her. And just in time too! It's 11:55.

So, here it goes. Start out with a compliment for her. Best way to get a girl to Hogsmeade with you. "You look nice. Tonight." I said too quickly. Damn.

I mean, it wasn't as if I was lieing or anything. Lily did look nice. Tonight. She wasn't the glowing jewel of the evening or anything, but she did look nice with her red hair down and curly or whatever. Her dress robes were white.

"Thanks." Lily said, then after a pause continued,"You look nice as well."

"Thanks." Okay. Good. I've got the compliment down. Now. On to the asking part. . .you know, maybe I should just go get a cup of punch or something then I can ask her-

_-Dong, dong, dong_

_Dong, dong, dong_

_Dong, dong, dong,_

_Dong, dong, dong_

Oh. My. Gillywig's.

NO! The clock must be wrong! It _can't_ be right!

I jerked away from Lily on the dance floor, looking at the nearby clock that had just chimed twelve times signaling that it was midnight.

"James? Are you alright?" Lily was asking.

I stood for a moment, still staring at the clock as it continued on its merry never-ending journey. Then I turned back to Lily,"Lily," I asked warily,"is it really midnight?" She would know. Lily Evans knows just about everything.

She blinked. "Of course it is, James. Why?"

I don't think I can dance anymore. I don't think I can even sit around in the Great Hall. My mood has just gone from bad, to worse, to worst today. And not even Lily's nice smiles were going to make me feel better- _especially_ not Lily's nice smiles- or Lily's anything's right now actually.

It was midnight. I had. . .I had. . ._lost_ a bet. I had lost the bet. I've _never_ lost a bet.

"Uh, I'm tired, Lily. I think I'm going to head to bed."

Lily nodded,"Yes, I suppose I will too, the ball's ended anyways."

It had ended. Everything had ended.

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"Oy, don't push me!" I called as someone pushed into me. I was squeezed in the middle of the big, noisy crowd that was fighting their way out of the Great Hall and back to their common rooms.

Unfortunately, Sirius was with me.

"I told you you'd lose the bet. This was too easy. I expect my payment within two days." He stated triumphantly.

I grunted moodily.

"What? Did Lily reject you?" Sirius asked. I hadn't told him that I'd never even ask the girl in the first place.

"Move along, you lot!" I yelled to the people. Then to Sirius,"No."

"She didn't?" Sirius asked.

"No, because. . .because I never asked her."

"You didn't ask her out on the dance floor? Merlin, that's what I thought you were doing!" Sirius exclaimed. "Why didn't you ask her, James? Afraid?"

"_No_." I stated indignantly. I wasn't afraid. Not really. No.

"Well, what was it?" He asked. "I give you a bet to get Lily Evans to go to Hogsmeade with you and you can't even get the courage ask her. What's with you, anyways? You've asked a ton of girls out, but you can't ask _Lily Evans_ out?"

I turned my head to Sirius to tell him to stuff it and to get off my case, but my words got very jumbled when I noticed who was walking alongside Sirius, a bit out of sight, but not quite. It was someone, who by the looks of it, had heard everything Sirius had just said.

It was, I think this is quite obvious, Lily. Oh, and Ravendrew, but he's really not that important right now. The only person I could think about right now was Lily. She'd heard everything. And she seemed to look like she was just hit with a few nasty hexs.

"Sirius, shut up!" I hissed, poking him in the ribs before crossing over in front of him (Sirius) and trying to catch up to Lily who had quickly walked past, Ravendork at her tail. Honestly. Why can't he just butt out of Lily's life? It seems like he's just constantly around.

"Lily! Lily- Wait!" I yelled above the sea of heads. She was speeding up. I was trying to speed up. "Come on. . .Lily! Wait!"

As I got about three feet of her, I grabbed one of her arms.

Well, it wasn't her arm, actually. It was some other girl who I had no clue was. So, I let go of her and continued looking around for Lily.

Why did she have to hear? Why? Why did I have to do this stupid bet in the first place? It's been more trouble than it's worth. And now, well, now Lily's going to hate me forever, probably.

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I finally caught up with Lily (and this was definitely Lily because I could see Ravendrew walking next to her) and grabbed her arm, pulling her to halt. I remained standing still next to her even though I was getting elbowing the ribs as people moved past me. Ravendrew also stopped and pushed some people out of the way so he could stand closer to us. "Lily, listen, I'm sorry-"

"Don't you think you've done enough, Potter?" Ravendrew asked angrily.

I shot a glare at Ravendrew as I held Lily's arm tighter,"Why don't you go mind your own business, Ravendork! This isn't about you, it's between Lily and me!"

Ravendrew looked a bit startled at being called "Ravendork", I have to say. Don't know why. It's such a common name. He seemed to regain his stature after a second or two, he pulled out his wand.

People around us were beganing to stop and watch with curiosity.

I heard Lily tell arse-face (she called him "Andrew") to go ahead and go, she'd be fine. Ravendrew reluctantly left, giving me a few evil eyes, which I gladly returned. After Ravendrew was out of sight, I turned my attention back to Lily.

I really didn't want to look at her. It only made me feel like a bludger flying into my stomach, though I think a bludger to the stomach would have been better than looking at Lily right now. She wasn't crying, which was, good. . .I think. . .

"Lily. . ."I started quickly,"Lily, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. . .to do this. To you." I still couldn't think of anything normal to say in front of her, which really wasn't helping me.

Lily just continued to try and shrug off my arm, not saying anything. Her eyebrows were scrunched up as she frowned at the ground. She wouldn't look me in the eye. She wouldn't look at me period.

"Come on, Lily. . .I didn't- This. . .This bet thing was just a stupid joke-"

"James, forget it." Lily said softly before giving a hard tug and stumbling out of my grip. She hastily straightened up and began to walk off, not looking back once.

Well. I can now successfully say my life is a complete and total mess. Not too mention I feel like crap.

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**Author's Note: Okay. Lily's found out about the bet. Woah. What will James do? What will Lily do? What will Ravendork do? What will everyone do? We will find out next time on. . .An Off Course Bet! LoL.**

**Eye Heart Music**


	11. Ignoring One's Being

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything. Get back to you when I do. . .which, probably will be, I don't know- _Never_.**

**Author's Note: Hey. I wanted to update sooner, especially with the sort of cliffhanger at the end of chapter ten, leaving some wondering what exactly was going to happen. But, there's been some family matters going on for the past few weeks and I've hardly been home enough to get to my laptop and type anything up. So sorry!**

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_Chapter Eleven_

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Okay. Well. I'm lieing awake in bed thinking. Just got back from the ball.

And, I've decided, to just, you know, sort of, _ignore_ Lily. Avoid her, I guess. Maybe, she'll just, you know, forget about it. And then, _I'll_ forget about it. And then, the whole stupid bet will just be forgotten about _forever_.

Thank Merlin.

The thing is, no matter if Lily forgets about the bet or not, I don't think she'll forget to not forgive me. Yeah, that's kind of a bad thing about ignoring her, because, if I do (ignore her), then I can't apologize to her and ask her to forgive me. So, she's going hate me forever.

So. Here's some possible outcomes of this mess so far:

1) Lily can hate me forever.

2) Lily can despise me forever.

3) Lily can marry that obnoxious, git Ravendork _and_ hate me forever.

4) Lily can marry that obnoxious, git Ravendork, hate me forever, _and_ despise me forever.

There are many more outcomes as of right now, but things are just getting more and more depressing as the list gets longer. Now, do you see that there's really no way I'm getting out of this mess without Lily hating or despising me.

Why, might you ask, am I still ranting about the evil, incompetent, berk Ravendrew?

Simple.

He ruined the bet.

But, let's continue onwards, and forget about the unimportant people right now.

Anyways, about me again.

So. Yeah. There's my solution. Ignore your problems, they'll most likely just go away at some point. Hopefully. Maybe. Yes. They'll just _float_ away. They'll float far away. Very far away. So far that they'll never, ever come back. Hopefully. Maybe.

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_Day One of Ignoring Lily_

Okay. So far, so good. I haven't seen Lily at all. It's breakfast and we're eating. "We're" meaning, me and the rest of the Marauders.

"So, James." Sirius started, stuffing his mouth with a bagel. "Lily heard."

Thanks, Sirius. Bring that up. That just makes my morning. Wonderful.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Lily heard what?" Remus asked warily as he spread jelly over a biscuit.

I turned to Peter as he ate his scrambled eggs,"Hey, Peter, where'd you get the eggs?" Okay, so I was ignoring Remus. So what?

Remus, somehow, can make anyone feel very guilty and can also be pretty persuasive sometimes. If I tell Remus about the whole Lily-Mess, he's going to make me feel real guilty (as though I don't already) and then persuade me to apologize to her, totally messing up my plan of ignoring her.

Peter jabbed his fork to a plate at his left, still chewing.

"Right. Pass it over." I said. Peter passed it over and I started piling scrambled eggs onto my plate, fully concentrating on the eggs. Don't look at Remus. Don't talk to Remus. Don't-

"James."

-listen to Remus. Don't look at Remus. Don't talk to Remus. Don't listen to Remus-

"James."

Don't look at Remus. Don't talk to Remus. Don't listen-

"James, I know you hear me."

-to Remus. Don't look at Remus. Don't talk to Remus. Don't listen to Remus. Don't look at Remus.

"Is that your owl with the newest broomstick available?"

Don't talk to Remus. Don't listen to Remus- "Where?" I asked, searching the ceiling for my owl.

Damn.

Stupid Remus.

"Oh, so sorry. My mistake." Remus said taking a bite of his biscuit. "I must have mistaken your owl for someone else's."

"Yeah. I suppose so." Yeah. Right. You. Liar.

"What did Lily hear?" He continued onward casually.

"Er, that the ball went great-"

"She heard about the bet." Sirius said, unrolling the _Daily Prophet_ an owl had just dropped in front of him.

"Sirius, you great oaf!" I said, kicking him under the table.

"The bet? She heard about the bet?" Remus asked with concern. "Well. That isn't good. . .How did she take it?"

"Er, well, she didn't cry. Which is good." I started.

"And?"

"And. . .she said to just, you know, forget about it."

"You liar." Shouldn't be talking Mr. Tell-Me-My-Owl-Was-Bringing-In-The-Newest-Broomstick-Available-Even-Though-It-So-Wasn't.

I had to protest now. Lily _did_ say to just forget it last night. "She did!"

"I doubt Lily actually meant to just forget about it, James. You need to go and apologize." Thanks, _mum_.

"I tried last night to apologize. And, besides, Lily asked me to just forget it, so I'm going just, you know, respect her wishes and just forget about it." It made perfect sense.

"James, that really low, you know."

"What? I took a try at apologizing and I'm respecting her wishes. How is that low?" I asked stabbing at my scrambled eggs.

"Hey, James, you're getting scrambled eggs all over the place." Peter said, picking some off his shoulder.

"Sorry," I muttered. "Remus, relax. I know exactly what I'm doing. Just let me handle this."

"What exactly _are_ you doing again, James? Because, from what I can see, you're not doing _anything_."

"I'm avoiding Lily. To respect her wishes."

"Oh, she asked you to avoid her too?" Sarcastic.

"No. But, to, you know, forget about everything like she told me to, I'm trying to avoid her, to forget about it, you know?"

"Right. So. You're going to just leave things as they are by ignoring Lily, basically, without apologizing. To "respect her wishes". Right. You really have interesting ways of making people feel better, James."

"Oh, shut up."

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_Day Two of Ignoring Lily_

"Here."

"What is it?"

"It's your bet earnings." I said bitterly as Sirius stared at the stuff I'd dropped on his bed.

He stared at the stuff some more. What? Did I get something he didn't want. The ungrateful git. He'd _better_ take what he gets. After a while, Sirius pushed everything away. "I'm not taking this stuff, James."

I gave an exasperated sigh,"What's wrong? Did I get the wrong kind of chocolates? I'm not taking anything back, Sirius. I'm already in a big mess because of that stupid bet, I'm not going to go and change all this stuff just because you can be a picky git."

"Thanks, James, glad to know you think so highly of me." He started dryly,"Actually, I'm not taking the stuff because I'm a "picky git", but because I know that this bet's got you all messed up, so I thought I'd be nice."

I stared.

He's telling me _after_ I spent fifty galleons on a bunch of chocolate and what not? I don't think so.

"And you're telling me this _now_?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you yesterday. So sorry."

Yes, I'm sure.

"You know," I said, sitting down on my bed,"This is pretty lousy, Sirius."

"Hey, I said I was sorry! People can forget things once and a while, geesh-"

"No, not about the stupid bet earnings. I don't care what you do with them. This whole bet is lousy. And not just because I lost." I added.

And it was. The bet, I mean. Being lousy, I also mean.

I'd gone from walking freely around the school, totally relaxed, to some anxious, jump at the sight of anything that looked female and had red hair, bloke. And, come on. I'm not someone who jumps at the sight of a girl. Unless it's to, you know, jump _over_ to the girl- Of course, I don't _actually_ jump at all when I see girls, it was just a figure of speech.

Anyways, other than the fact that I can't walk around Hogswarts anymore without looking around the corner to make sure Lily Evans isn't hanging around, I've done fairly well with ignoring her. And she's done fairly well in the doing the same it seems.

Actually, she's done rather too good of a job, if you ask me. She asked as if I don't exist. . .well, I suppose that's what ignoring means too, but still. It's like I'm not there _at all_. As if nothing happened. As though I did not just hang around her just to try and ask her out for a date because of a bet.

It's unnerving.

I mean, she's done such a good job, I'm beganing to wonder if she really _did_ just forget about the bet and, not to mention- me.

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_Day Three of Ignoring Lily_

"James, I decided to say that what you did to Lily Evans was really low for you."

Wait a second. . .did I miss something?

"I never expected you, of all the people, to stoop so low as to hang around a girl for a _bet_."

Is the world ending?

"Even though I never really, well, _liked_ Lily Evans much, she's a geniunely nice person and she didn't deserve what you did to her."

I think it is. The world, I mean. Ending, I also mean.

"We'll be graduating in a less than a year; I think you should grow up. Stop playing around with people, girls in particular. They have hearts too, you know."

My God. This is unbelievable.

"I know I'm not all that nice to Lily, but really. What you did was _totally_ something a Slytherin would do."

_Slap_

What the-? Bloody _Hell_! Sarah just slapped me! _Sarah_ just slapped me! Sarah just _slapped_ me! Sarah just slapped _me_!

"Sarah's right, you know."

_Slap!_

"She really is."

_Slap!_

_Blimey_! The _Linda twins_ just _slapped_ me too (well, they _do_ do everything Sarah does, unfortunately in this case)!

"Wait, wait." I started painfully, rubbing my cheeks (they got both),"How'd you find out about that?"

Sarah sniffed. "We just did." And, with that, Sarah and her twins walked off, heads held high.

Oh. My. _Gillywigs_.

I was just _slapped_ (three times) and _told off_ (three times), by Sarah and the Linda twins. Girls can be quite dangerous when they band together and gang up on someone. They probably even waited until I was alone without any friends.

God.

That was bloody _scary_.

How'd they figure out about the bet anyways? Is Lily secretly, like, some sort of secret best friend of Sarah and the Linda twins in their dorm? And, at night, they secretly sit around in their nickers (nice sight, I'm sure) and giggle and gossip and weep over what happens to them? Pfft. Please. I don't think that Lily would do that. I just can't imagine that happening. . .but, who knows. . .Sarah and the Linda twins just slapped and told me off, so, just about anything could happen now, I guess.

Maybe they noticed how Lily and me have been ignoring each other. But, they couldn't have concluded that that was because of the _bet_, could they? They aren't that smart. I know they aren't.

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_Day four of Ignoring Lily_

She's still hanging around with him. Actually, she's hanging around him even more than before.

"She" being Lily and "him" being Ravendork (or "Andrew" as some people call him).

Lily can ignore my existance all she wants, no matter how unnerving it is, but she _can't_ still hang around Ravendrew. That's just. . .so uncool.

You know what?

I need to stop thinking about her. I really do. I can't forget about all that's happened if I keep thinking about her and, well, all that's happened.

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_Day Five of Ignoring Lily_

Okay, get this. Lily sat with Ravendrew in the _Ravenclaw_ stands at the quidditch match today.

And, okay, so maybe Gryffindor wasn't even playing today (it was Hufflepuff Vs. Slytherin), but still. She needs to sit in her respective house stand. It's just that simple.

Bugger. I thought about her again. Stupid girl. Well, she isn't stupid, Lily's actually super smart, but that's really besides the point.

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_Day Six of Ignoring Lily_

Okay, she's really trying to make me go crazy with unnerve-ness, now. I really am beginning to think Lily's totally (and not just faking it really well) forgotten about me. James Potter. This isn't right. If anyone's just suppose to easily forget about someone, it's me forgetting about Lily Evans. I mean, I'm right, right? It's just, _weird_ the other way around.

Of course, I'm not saying my life hasn't been weird lately. I got slapped and told off by Sarah and the Linda twins (who are, by the way, ignoring me also. Except, they're doing a really crappy job of it (they sat with me at lunch).), so anything could happen now a days.

Lily's respecting her own wishes of forgetting about "it" better than I am. I've done a fairly good job though these past six days, if I don't say so myself. I've only said "Hi" and "Bye" at our, now _extremely_, **extremely** quiet patrols. And believe me, I thought Lily was quiet when we were friends, but now, blimey, she's just completely _mute_ (except for saying "Hello" to me when I said "Hi", she just nodded when I said "Bye" to her).

I really need to stop thinking about her. Really. This is getting so weird. My life, I mean.

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_Day Seven of Ignoring Lily_

So. . .yeah. I talked to Lily today. I was being quite stupid when it happened.

Okay, so here I was, sitting at my desk like a good lad does twenty minutes before class starts (I was trying to finish an essay that was due when class started. Hey, I was being good. I just. . .you know, didn't have time to do the essay outside of class. . .), when Lily walks in.

It was quite normal for me or anyone really to see her do this. I mean, hardly anyone comes to class twenty minutes early unless they need to finish an essay or whatever. Lily is not "anyone" though, in a lot of ways. She _always_ comes to class early. And she _never_ has to scribble out a essay due when class starts.

Anyways. She walked in, okay? And I glanced at her with the corner of my eye as she walked by me (totally pretending I wasn't there, or maybe I just really wasn't there to her. . .) before I duck my head down and pretend to be totally absorbed in finishing my essay (which wasn't going to get finished, even if I _was_ totally absorbed in it; there wasn't enough time to finish it, anyways).

Well, the seconds dragged on. And on. And _on_. I swear each second lasted five minutes, even if that's impossible, but, whatever. Lily had gotten out a book and was reading it. Actually, reading it too. She wasn't doing any of that Pretending-To-Read-Just-To-Get-James-To-Think-I-Don't-Notice-Him stuff.

The silence was really getting bad. Really. Except for my quill scratching (I swear it going to make me go deaf; it was _that_ loud. . .or maybe I was just _that_ aware of the silence) against my essay, it was completely silent. Me and Lily. Lily and me. We were the only people in the classroom.

Then _It_ happened.

I said-get this- "Hey, Lily."

_Hey, Lily_

So cool. And, of course, I sounded like a complete idiot, just as I always do around Lily.

I personally think the silence just got to be too much for me. I mean, I've never been a quiet person. Someone, at some time, _has_ to talk, in my opinion.

Okay, and get this- get _this_. She didn't say anything. Lily just turned slightly in her seat and nodded before turning back to her book.

That's right. She _nodded_. It was so weird. And, you know what _really_ got me? It was the fact that she didn't give me a nasty glare or give me one of those blank, emotionless ones either. It wasn't a friendly nod either, though. She gave me a normal, "hey" nod.

That just about made me go insane. I mean, she's suppose to be _mad_ at me. She's suppose to be screaming and yelling and, God forbid, crying (not that I _want_ her to cry or anything). Instead, she was acting as if I didn't exist and when she wasn't, Lily acted as if nothing happened.

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_Day Eight of Ignoring Lily_

Okay. So maybe ignoring Lily isn't the best approach. Hex me, why don't you?

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**Author's Note: Not much progress is being made for James, is there? LoL. Unless being driven insane by the unnerve-ness of Lily forgetting all about him. Gasp! Lily Evans, forgetting all about _James Potter_? What _is_ this world coming to? Arrogant much, James?**

**I have to give Sarah a big "You go, girl!" in this note. Girl power! LoL. We _finally_ know that Sarah isn't a _complete_ bimbo with no feelings what's so ever.**

**Toodles,**

**Eye Heart Music**

**P.S. Anyone who reviewed anon. last chapter (Gavin, FloatingBubbles, and hproxdobbyssox), I responded just a while ago on my LiveJournal. Sorry I didn't respond sooner (and that goes to everyone out there!)!**


	12. This Sucks

**Disclaimer: I really don't own anything. I am fourteen years old girl who likes reading fan fiction way too much. Do you really think I'd own a book like Harry Potter? Didn't think so.**

**A/N: Hey. From now on, unless I really need to have them up here, all Author's Notes will be at the bottom of the chapter. Thanks and hope you enjoy the chapter: )**

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_Chapter Twelve_

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_Continuation of Day Eight of Ignoring Lily_

Yeah. This is just great. This is just _wonderful_.

I've been avoiding Lily for a little longer than a week, not bother her or anything and Pretty Boy (he's actually ugly; really, really, really, really, really ugly) Ravendrew just decides to "accidently" stop by the library while I was studying (okay, you got me, I was actually reading _The First World Cup_ (it was pretty awesome)) and "talk" to me.

Yeah.

And, you know, I really haven't been shoving him around or hexing him. Only a few (hundred) evil eyes and ice glares have been thrown at him. That's all. . .Okay, so maybe I called him Ravendork as we passed each other in the corridor the other day. . .oh, and that other time the words "obnoxious git" rolled off my tongue while he was standing in hearing distance. Other than that, I really haven't been messing with him. . .well, there was that other time-

Besides, he really didn't have any right to come into the library and start messing with _me_. That was a bad choice, it was. No one messes with James Potter.

He sat down across from me at my table, right? Right. And went, just bluntly,"Potter, you're being an idiot, you know that?"

I had just left History of Magic with Binns. No one handles being called an idiot well just after leaving that boring place. So, I kind of snapped,"You shouldn't be talking, Ravendork."

"What? I'm not the one who messed around with a girl just to try and win a bet."

"First of all, I didn't "mess around" with Lily and second of all- Would you mind buggering off? I can't read when there's a moron sitting across from me." Oooh. Good one, James.

"_Andrew_" ignored me. "How can you be so selfish? You've ignored Lily all week and haven't apologized."

"You know, you're quite nosy, it's really annoying. Would you mind putting your overlarged nose in someone else's business?" He had been nosy. He still was. What was going on was between Lily and me. Not between Lily and me _and_ him.

"Do you not care if Lily's hurt because of you? I suppose not; you don't have any feelings anyways."

That wasn't nice. And I did care that I'd hurt Lily. "You seem to care a lot about what's happening with Lily, don't you, Ravendork?"

That threw him off. He didn't say anything. Actually, I know I saw his ears go pink. He was blushing. Oh, how cute. Not. That was so pansy-ish. Ravendork is not only a git, but also a fairy.

"Yeah, everywhere Lily is, you just seem to pop up. Huh, funny, isn't it? It's almost as if you _fancy_ her-"

"Oh, shut up, Potter." He said hastily, before turning back to Mr. Macho. Yeah, _ right_. More like Mr. Fairy "I don't want to bicker all day. I just came to tell you to apologize to Lily. She, at least, deserves that." And, Mr. Fairy exits the library.

Oh, how sensible of him. He only wanted to tell me what to do; not fight. How Ravenclaw and responsible of him. How bossy of him.

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Okay, so I snapped. Right after Ravendrew left the library, I snapped.

And, no, I didn't snap because what Ravendrew so bossily told me to do, was just _that_ inspiring. It wasn't inspiring at all, actually.

What happened was that Lily walked past my table, didn't acknowledge me, then continued walking to sit down at a table a few bookshelves away. And then, I snapped. Don't ask me why, I don't know why. It just happened.

How exactly did I snap, you ask?

Well, I grabbed my bag, stuffed _The First World Cup_ in it (the bag) and walked straight to Lily's table. I sat down across from her, pulled out _The First World Cup_ and started reading it (of course, I didn't actually read, I was trying to see what Lily would do).

She didn't stand up and start yelling at me (surprise, surprise, I know), nor did she throw her book (_Grindylows: Friends or Foes?_) at me (surprise, surprise, once again). Instead, she just glanced at me before continuing with _Grindylows: Friends or Foes?_

I sat for a while (okay, two minutes, if you must know) before shifting in my chair uncomfortably. I was sort of hoping Lily'd get the picture that me sitting down with her meant an unsaid apology or truce. But, no, she didn't. Of course. Things couldn't be easy for once. Pfft, something easy? Please.

I was regretting ever leaving my table now.

So, the minutes passed by. I didn't know what to say; Lily just wouldn't say anything (surprise, surprise). I let out a sigh and shifted again in my seat. For some reason, the library chairs had all of a sudden become very small and uncomfortable. Actually, the whole library was becoming small and uncomfortable, not that I ever thought of the library as "comfortable" before, but, you know, it was more uncomfortable than usual.

I glanced at Lily. She was calmly reading (yes, actually reading) her book. As if the library wasn't unusually small and uncomfortable.

Was it just me, or did it just become hotter in here? I wouldn't be surprised if I broke out in a sweat at this rate. Geez, it's winter out, shouldn't I be freezing off my bum?

Lily didn't seem to be flushed or sweating, so I wonder if she just wasn't affected by things like the heat or the shrinking of rooms. I was beganing to wondering if Lily just wasn't affected by anything, at all.

I ran a hand through my hair. I shifted in my too small, overly uncomfortable chair again. I began to restlessly flip through my book. It was becoming more and more obvious that I wasn't reading my book. Great.

Should I say something? Anything? Should I apologize? Say "I'm sorry"? What should I say? How should I say it? What if I make an idiot of myself? What if she just ignores me? What if- ?

Lily stood up calmly, gathered her stuff together calmly, and walked out of the library calmly.

Well. I guess I don't have to worry about what to say anymore.

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The next morning, I waited around for Lily to leave for our first class (charms), then headed out.

I was able to get a seat right next to Lily (in the second row from the front, great). God, I was making such an idiot of myself.

She was working on some diagram for potions that wasn't even due for a week as I sat down and started an essay due for our next class (transfiguration). I, you know, didn't have time to do this one outside of class either. . .

Anyways, we worked on our own separate assignments, not saying anything. Except for our quills being annoyingly loud, there was silence.

I wish she would talk. I mean, what can I say?. . .I could apologize, I guess, but what if she doesn't forgive me? What if she pours ink from her inkwell down my head and says she hates me? What if-

"Lily, I'm sorry."

Oh, well. I guess I just apologized. Huh.

Lily stopped writing and turned her head towards me. "It's okay, James." She said in this absentminded voice.

_It's okay, James_

She did not mean that it was okay, though. I mean, come on. If you heard her, you'd understand what I mean. She didn't forgive me. Nothing was okay between us. It was quite a mess actually. And it was all my fault (sort of Sirius' too for starting this whole thing in the first place).

"Right." I said.

I just sort of. . .er, sat there, holding my quill and staring down at my essay. Realizing something really lame and depressing:

I had just been rejected by Lily Evans.

The shy, never-socialize, Lily Evans had basically just said she didn't want me. That she didn't want to be friends with me. That nothing was okay between us. It was Lily's nice way of saying she wanted nothing to do with me.

For some reason, being rejected by Lily Evans seemed to be just as tramatizing as being rejected by the first girl (I'd already forgotten her name again) I ever asked out.

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I sat with Lily through the entire charms lesson that morning.

My pride wouldn't let me run to the back of the room and hide from her. I wanted to, though. Lily's a petite red head who couldn't hurt a fly. Yet, I wanted to run away from her. That's just so pathetic.

The only good thing about sitting with Lily was to see Ravendork have a silent temper tantrum. The berk obviously wanted to sit beside Lily. Take that, you fairy. He gave me an evil eye and sat behind Lily. Of course, all good things come to an end. That particular good thing wasn't an exception.

Lily talked with him before class began (after finishing her diagram, of course) and stayed behind after class to chat with him. Woo hoo. Wonderful. She even laughed at stuff he said. Just spiffy.

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"So, James."

"Yeah?"

"I saw you sitting with Lily yesterday in charms. Did you apologize?"

"Yes," Yes, _Father._ "Remus."

"What did she say?" He asked. We were playing explode and snap in the common room. Sirius had detention. Peter was doing an essay on the couch a few feet away.

"She said it's okay."

"That's all?"

"Yeah."

"Is it?" He asked.

"Is it what?"

"Is it okay?"

"Oh, uh, you know, yeah, it is. Everything is great."

"Oh." He didn't believe me.

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Yeah."

"Good."

"Right."

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"So."

"What?"

"Lily despises you."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess."

"I saw you sitting with her in charms. Wasn't feeling the love, mate."

"You always know how to make me feel better, Sirius."

"I try, James, I try."

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"So, I noticed you were sitting with Lily in charms."

This was getting a bit tiring.

"Yeah?"

You seemed a bit. . .uh, uncomfortable." Peter said.

"Yeah?"

"Lily, uh, seemed to be ignoring you."

"Yeah. . ."

"She, uh, hates you, doesn't she?"

". . .Yeah."

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This sucks.

This plain _sucks_.

Why should Lily be laughing and joking around with some Hufflepuff girl (yes, Lily does have a few friends that she talks to occasionally) while I sit watching her do so? Why can't _I_ be the one laughing and joking with friends (which I have plenty of) while she watches me? _She's_ suppose to be the shy girl, not me (I'm _not_ a girl, okay?). _She's_ suppose to be all depressed right now, not me. Not that I'm depressed or anything. Just, you know, in a bad mood. . .because it's raining. Rain always get's me in a bad mood. Yeah.

She's smiling one of her smiles. Oh, good _grief_. I'm talking about her _smiles_. Of all the things. . .

Unlike other times (the old days, when Lily and me were friends), Lily's smile didn't make me smile (That sounds so corny). In fact, it only made me more depressed- I mean, it only made my mood worse. Yeah.

Lily hasn't smiled at me since. . .you know, forever. She hasn't laughed with me since, once again, forever. We haven't even sat in the library with the "normal" silence in forever (now the silence is just unnerving, not to mention, uncomfortable).

I just realized something. Something pathetic. Something that I'll never admit to anyone. Something that shouldn't be happening. Something that Lily should be doing. Not me.

I missed her. I missed _Lily_.

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**A/N: Someone commented that last chapter was a filler, but, I have to say, this chapter is even more a filler. It was really quite hard to write because nothing important happens (except for James admiting he misses Lily), so there wasn't much to write, really. I don't want to rush things too much.**

**I know the chapter's short, sorry!**

**Eye Heart Music**

**P.S. If any of you are planning on reviewing and have seen the story summaries under "Future Fan Fictions" at my profile, could you tell me which one you liked the most? I'm having trouble deciding which one to start with after I finish this story. Thanks!**


	13. Things Just Kept Heading Downhill

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Thanks.**

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_Chapter Thirteen_

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Okay, so I missed her. That's right. I missed Lily Evans.

If I only knew why.

I mean, come on. It's not as though Lily and me have anything in common.

She's quiet. I'm not.

She's a bookworm who practically lives in the library. I'm not.

She has about three friends. I don't- What I mean to say is that I have more than three friends, a lot more. I didn't mean that I don't even have three friends- moving along.

She sticks to the rules. I don't.

She has red hair. I don't.

She's a girl. I most certainly am not.

We are total opposites.

Yet, I miss her. It's quite stupid how brains work sometimes. Really. It is.

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Merlin, I wish I could push Ravendork into the lake and let the giant squid have at him. That would be wonderful.

Maybe if I could just get Lily away from the git, she'd forgive me. He's probably been brainwashing her by saying how stupid, ugly, or evil I am. Even though I'm not. Stupid, ugly, or evil, I mean.

There they are, laughing and smiling at each other. Oh, God. Let me go and chuck up my breakfast. That is just gross. I mean, they totally don't go together. I mean. . .you know, he has brown hair. . .Lily has red! And, you know, he's, uh, tall and Lily's. . .not. Lily's a human being, he's not! Oh, and Lily's a Gryffindor. Not going to work with a Ravenclaw. Believe me. I know this stuff. They're totally wrong for each other. So wrong that it's- it's, uh, lame.

Yeah.

And, what's this? Lily just gave Ravendork the smile she always gave me! What's up with that?

I suppose we aren't friends anymore and she needs to find some else to give that smile to, but really. _Ravendork_? She gives that smile to _Fairyman_? What about giving it to someone who's not entirely a jerk?

I don't blame Lily though. She's just blinded by his false intentions (she definitely isn't blinded by his good-looks, believe me). She's a girl. Even if she isn't your average girl, she's still a girl. Lily's just too blinded by all his lies of "You're beautiful" and "I just love your eyes" and all that crappy crap.

I hate people like that. You know, the one's that lie just to get what they want. . .and, okay, so maybe I lied quite a lot when I was trying to get Lily to go on a date to Hogsmeade with me for the bet, but that's different.

I don't want to snog or have my wicked way with Lily like Fairyman does. Yes, I know exactly what Ravendork's planning. I've been watching him very closely.

Oh, and guess what's going on now? Ravendork seems to be telling Lily a joke. And, great, she's laughing. I bet his joke is just _too_ funny.

Yeah.

Right.

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"Hey, Lily."

Alright. I sat down next to her at lunch.

She nodded.

And, get this, I nodded too. Yeah. Wow. I don't think I can make myself an idiot much more.

Silence (not the "normal" silence that was between when we were friends, but the uncomfortable, awkward silence).

Lily was eating mash potatoes and steak.

I was eating some sort of casserole. I don't know what kind, just that it tasted pretty damn good. Yeah. Woah, James. Down boy.

"Good steak?" I asked. Oooh. Lame.

"Yes."

"Good, good." Pause. "My casserole's good too."

Lily didn't say anything and she didn't nod. Not good.

"How's your potatoes?"

"Just fine."

"Good, good." Good, good, James. You're doing a terrifc job at acting like a moron. Fairyman must be rubbing off a bit on me. That's not good.

"And what about your pumpkin juice? Is that good too?"

"It's water."

"Oh. Well. Is your water good?"

Lily nodded.

Silence (still not "normal").

"Want to study in the library together?" Lily Evans would not pass on a opportunity to visit the library, whether she hated me or not.

"No thanks."

WHAT?

Lily Evans just passed an opportunity to visit the library. Good grief, she really must hate me.

"Oh. That's cool. I can study by myself then." Or with the Marauders. Yeah.

Lily didn't sympathetically say "sorry" or anything. She didn't even do her familiar nod. The girl just continued to chew her steak.

"What'd you get on your transfiguration exam yesterday?" Oh, no. I was resorting to asking about assignment grades. Crap.

"An O."

"Cool. Me too." How is that, whenever I'm around Lily Evans, I turn into some mute moron? I promise I'm never like this around anyone else.

Silence (still not "normal". I'm beganing to think it won't ever be "normal" again).

I watched as she took a drink of water. She was also reading, I forgot to mention that.

"What's that you're reading?"

Lily held up the book. It was entitled: _50 Magical Plants You Ought to Know About_

"Oh. It looks interesting, you know."

Lily set the book down,"It is."

Okay, I was desperate enough to resort to asking about assignment grades, but one thing I most definitely was not desperate enough to resort to was asking how-

"How's Andrew doing?"

-Ravendork is. Oh. Well. I guess I was. Desperate enough, I mean.

Lily actually lifted her head from her book and food. "He's good." She leaned her head back down. Well. Isn't Fairyman so wonderful. Lily actually lifts her head when talking about him, but when it's me she's talking about, no. She just ignores me. What did I ever do to her?. . .Er. I did sort of try and spend time with her just for a bet. . .but that's not the point. . .

Moving on.

Anyways. I thought maybe talking about Ravendrew would get Lily to talk a bit more, but, apparently, not even Mr. I-Am-A-Arse can get Lily to talk to me.

So, we sat silently again. I was almost done with my casserole.

Then, disaster striked. Twice.

My knee brushed against hers under the table and I was so startled that my hand let go of my goblet of pumpkin juice and it went down. . .down. . .down. . .straight to my lap.

Here's where Disaster: Part Two, comes in. The pumpkin juice was quite cold (not to mention, wet), so I instantly jumped up in my seat, conveniently knocking into my almost finished casserole, making it fall all the way down the front of my pants.

I stood stiffly for a moment, quite aware of the silence around me. Apparently, I wasn't the only who noticed pumpkin juice and casserole fall in my lap.

"Er. . .are you okay?" I heard some girl ask a few seats away as snickers were starting to be heard. I still stood stiffly. The snickers were getting louder.

"Do I _look_ okay? I have _pumpkin juice_ and _casserole_ all over my pants. I look like I peed in my _pants_."

I didn't even want to see how Lily was reacting to all this. This was embarrassing. Anger was really starting to come to me now. Why did I always act like a fool around her? It was just a simple brush of the _knee_, for God's sake!

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I'm sitting in the common room now. It's been two days since Disasters One and Two. It's been two days since I've been anywhere near Lily. And, no matter how much I'd like to patch things up between us, I've been waiting for the Disasters to blow over some.

Of course, Sirius, who was sitting a few seats away, won't let me forget it happened. . .

"You should have seen your face, James! Oh, and when you said,'I look like I peed in my pants'. Ha-ha-ha!"

. . .Yeah, I think that memory will be with Sirius long after we leave Hogswarts. Wonderful. I've always wanted to remember the times when I make a fool of myself.

Oh. Look. There goes Lily. Do have I have a life anymore? It seems all I think about is Lily. Lily this, Lily that. Is Lily with Fairyman. Is Lily snogging Fairyman? Are Lily and Fairyman an item? Does Lily hate me? Is she going to ever forgive me?- Yeah.

I really don't think I have a life anymore. Great. Girl's suck (well, not always. Like, you know, when they're in broom cupboard's with you. They _definitely_ don't suck _there_).

I'm not going to talk to Lily. I am going to finish my essay. I need to let the Disasters blow over some more-

Crap. I'm walking up to her.

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Okay. My life is official over now. I thought it was over after my lunch fell in my lap, but that-. . .that was _nothing_ compared to what just happened. Excuse me while I go get lost in a vanishing cabinet. Anyways. . .here's what happened. . .

"Hey, Lily." I said, catching up with her just as she walked out the portrait hole. I could finish my essay later, I suppose.

"James."

"Where you going?"

"The library."

"Hey, I was just heading that way too." What? I was, er, you know, needing to get a book on. . .erm, I get back to you on that later.

She didn't say anything. She gave one of her nods.

"Lily, listen," I said, abruptly grabbing her shoulder and stopping us in the deserted corridor. "I'm sorry, alright? I'm sorry for what I did."

Lily tugged out of my grip and began to walk again. "I told you to just forget about it, James. It's over now, let's just move on."

I grabbed her shoulder again,"I have moved on, Lily. You're the one who won't forgive me."

Lily just stood, staring at the ground. "I've forgiven you, James."

"No, you haven't- Will you just listen to me?" I asked as she once again began to walk off. I looked around and saw a broom closet a few meters away. Hmmm. I grabbed Lily's wrist and began to pull her over to the closet.

"What- ?" Lily asked, startled. I closed the door after us.

Well. . .

This isn't awkward. Oh, no. Not at all. This _extremely_ comfortable. Right. If you believe a word I just said, you are one gullible person.

Yeah, so anyways, it was dark. And awkward. And quiet. And stuffy. And small. And did I mention it was awkward? Did I also mention me and Lily were in a _broom closet_? You know, where people _snog_? Where people suck other people's faces off? Did I mention that? No, I didn't. Well, anyways, we were. In a broom closet.

If it wasn't so awkward in here, I'd say it was a bit ironic that I was in a broom closet with _Lily Evans_.

Yeah.

It's quite hard to imagine, I know.

I opened my mouth to start once again where we left off when Lily all of a sudden pounced on me and we started snogging (quite passionately)- _Not_. No, Lily did not pounce on me. Nor did we start snogging (quite passionately). Again with the gullible thing.

What really happened was that we both moved as far from each other as possible, no matter how subtle we tried to make it look, it turned out very unsubtle, and I opened my mouth to continue our conversation. Then stop. Oh, God.

I was all pumped up outside, in the corridor and now, now I can't say anything. My nerves are all screwed up. I can't think. That's when the thought of Lily and me in the broom closet really came in clear. Believe me, it couldn't get any clearer.

"Lily-" I stopped.

"James, let me out. Please. I told you to forget it." She said tiredly, reaching around for the doorknob. I quickly grabbed the doorknob and held it tightly.

"Lily, listen. I know, I shouldn't have done that to you. It was just some stupid bet Sirius made up. It really was just a bet, at first. But, after a while, I started to realize-. . .realize that you were a good person to be around. I-" No, I wasn't getting all choked up because my speech was just that beautiful (even though it _was_ quite good). I had gone a bit blank, just like I always do around Lily.

"Can you just forgive me, Lily?" I asked, holding the door tighter as Lily tried to pry my hand off. "I don't want you to be mad at me."

Lily slowly moved from the door and stood in front of me. My hand let go of the doorknob.

"James, why do you want me to forgive you so much? You never wanted my friendship, it was just a bet. Why are you so anxious to get my approval now? Is it another bet?"

"What?" I sputtered. "No! I just, you-. . . I like being around- you. Around you, Lily."

Lily stood in front of me, eyebrows furrowed. She began to move past me, towards the door. "James, no. I thought you were a good person. I thought I wanted to be friends with you. . .I was wrong. Please, just, please forget-"

"Lily- I like you!-. . ."

Well. That's news not only to _Lily_, but to _me_ also. . .

Things _really_ are starting to go _way_ downhill.

Before Lily could even open her mouth to respond, I leaned down and kissed her. Yep. Kissed her smack dab on the lips. Just when I thought things couldn't be going even farther down hill too. . .

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There you are. There you have it. My account on how things went downhill and also how my life ended. No, I didn't actually die, but, you know, it sure seemed like it.

You know, you'd think after what just happened, it'd be Lily who ran out of the broom closet. But, it wasn't. It was me. I ran out of the broom closet (I didn't actually run, it was more of a speed jog- besides, it was a manly speed jog).

What else was I suppose to do? Kiss her some more? Oh, yeah. _That_ would work. She probably thinks I'm an insane stalker boy who pulls innocent girls into broom closet and kiss them.

Of course, I am _not_ Lily Evans' stalker. If anyone's her stalker, it's Ravendork.

Yeah, so anyways. . .

. . .what was up with me saying I fancied Lily? I mean, I don't like Lily _that_ way. It may seem like that's true considering what's been happening around here lately (kissing her, saying that I like her, pulling her into broom closets), but really, it's not true.

Sure, during the bet, my opinion of her changed. I found her to be a good person to be around. A good _friend_. A good friend who's smart, nice, likes to laugh, has nice smiles (God, here we go again), and even her eyes are quite nice. Lily just happens to be a good friend who also is all of that and more.

No, I don't fancy Lily. That's ridiculous. I mean sure, I think she's attractive and smart and great and- OH MY GOD. I _FANCY_ LILY! _I_ FANCY LILY! I FANCY _LILY_! OH, GREAT GILLYWIG'S! _I FANCY LILY_!

OH MY GOD-

Cool it, James. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. . .

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"Remus?"

I shoved him in the shoulder.

He grunted in his sleep.

"_Remus_!"

He grunted again.

"Wake up!" I hissed in his ear before shoving him again.

I was having another life crisis now. And he had better _not_ tell me to talk to Peter.

He abruptly sat up,"What- Oh. James."

He needn't sound so angry. It's only 12:30 (AM).

"Remus, I need to ask you another question, okay? Okay. Good. See, remember my friend? Hypothetical John?"

"Oh, yes, yes. How is he these days? Did he lose that hypothetical bet of his?" Remus asked quite dryly.

"Er, yes, hypothetically speaking, he did. He lost the bet and he lost the girl. Because, you know, he er, sort of, hypothetically _fancies_ Hypothetical Jill. And, well, you see, Hypothetical Jill sort of hates Hypothetical John now because she, hypothetically speaking, found out about the bet. What's Hypothetical John suppose to do, Remus?"

Remus fell back on his pillow and let out a deep breath. "Hypothetical John, hypothetically speaking, fancies Hypothetical Jill, does he?. . .Well. . .I'd say that Hypothetical John should apologize to Hypothetical Jill-"

"I already- He's already tried."

"Well, tell him to try again. That's all I can say, James. He's just going to have apologize again and hope she'll hypothetically forgive him."

Either Remus' hypothetical speechs aren't that interesting or maybe I just wait until it's way too late at night, but I fell asleep again.

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**A/N: Woah. Lots happened in this chapter. Wow. But, our beloved characters still aren't feeling the love yet (well, James is, I guess). What's poor James going to do get his lovely Lily?**

**On another note, I've decided to start "Players One and Two" next. I'm currently planning it out, chapter-by-chapter. It should be start sometime during the next few weeks, after I finish this story, of course.**

**Toodles,**

**Eye Heart Music**


	14. Advice Gone Wrong or Maybe Right

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's true.**

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I told them.

"I" being me, James Potter and "them" being Sirius, Remus, and Peter.

What did I tell them?

That I fancied Lily, of course- Well, sort of. . .not really. . .

I kind of, sort of, told them I wanted Lily to forgive me and stop hating me and did they have any suggestions? So, no, I guess I didn't _exactly_ tell my friends the big news (that I like Lily and all). _I_ can barely grasp the fact, so why would they take it any better?

They gave some pretty lame suggestions, but, what else can I do? I fell asleep while Remus gave his hypothetical speech a few days ago, so I don't know what to do.

And I don't. Know what to do, I mean.

See, even though I am a totally smooth, cool bloke around everyone, girls can sometimes take the "totally smooth, cool" out of me. Yes. It's true. There's something that can breakdown even me, the Unbreakable James Potter. That something, is females.

Pretty sad.

Anyways, I really don't know what to do. Should I ask her out? No, the problem of her hating me and avoiding me just wouldn't work out. Should I apologize? Maybe, even though she probably won't forgive me.

I really am clueless at this point. I mean, I've had my share of crushes on girls and I was clueless then too. . .but, Lily's so. . .different from the girls I usually like. Previous crushes would turn me into some charming moron, but Lily- she turns me into this speechless moron. And believe me. There's a difference.

Speaking of Lily, I've been avoiding her- Or maybe, it's _her_ that's avoiding _me_. Or maybe we're _both_ avoiding each other. I'm not sure. I lost my sanity a long time ago.

Anyways, I've been avoiding her for obvious reasons. I mean, what am I suppose to do? Walk up to her and say, "Hey Lily, want to grab a broom closet again?". Yeah. That's going to work. I suppose Lily's been avoiding me for obvious reasons as well (you know, the whole bet thing, me admiting to have a "thing" for her, kissing her, stuff like that).

Back to the advice my fellow Marauders gave me last night. Here's a few (these are the least lamest, cliched ones):

1) Give her roses (Peter suggested lilies because Lily's name is- well, you know).

2) Chocolate. Give her lots of chocolate (Sirius protested against this because the chocolates would imply to Lily that she was too skinny and that I wanted to "fatten her up". Honestly, he makes Lily sound like a pig or something).

3) Compliments always work (Remus said not to overdo them though, while Sirius and Peter said to overdo them a lot. _I'd_ rather not do them at _all_ (not that there isn't anything about Lily I couldn't compliment, it's just, I can hardly say "hey" to her much less, "You're beautiful" or something).

4) Buy her jewelry (Remus said that I shouldn't because it would make her think _I_ think she's too plain and needs something to make her not plain. . .yeah, I didn't get a word of that either).

5) Buy her a book (I actually thought this was a good idea, but Sirius disagreed saying that Lily would think I was making fun of her (because she reads all the time) by getting her a book. How in the world does he come up with this stuff?. . .Or wait. Maybe females really _are_ that sensitive!)

6) Send her a poem (we all disagreed on this after a while. I am not, and never will be, a poet. Sorry, but yes, there is something I can't do (write poetry, I mean)).

Yeah. There they are. . .and, I sigh here, I am going to try them. Yes. That's right. You heard me. I am going to buy Lily flowers, chocolates, jewelry, books; give her compliments, and write a poem or two (even though we all agreed I shouldn't, I'm kind of, uh, desperate- I mean, determined).

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I waited a few more days to start buying a whole bunch of crap, complimenting Lily, and writing poems for her to let my nerves calm down some. And to let Lily calm down some too.

I snuck to Hogsmeade during the day while the Marauders covered for me in class. Got everything I needed (geez, everything was so expensive. If I wasn't so desper- determined to get Lily to forgive me, I wouldn't be spending so much money, believe me). Wasn't even caught getting back into the castle. So far, my day had went fairly well.

Of course, good things usually don't last (especially lately).

I decided to give the "Give her roses" thing a try. I waited until just about everyone had left the common room and made sure Lily was quite alone (which she usually is, duh) in a secluded corner (I'm making it sound like I'm try to get a snog out her or something) before taking her the stupid flowers.

I was embarrassed. That's right. The girl was making me go to the length of getting embarrassed (she's already done that before like with the whole "brushing of the leg" thing a few days ago). I mean, who carries a bunch of roses? The only people I know who carry around roses are the lame, cliched, buff, blokes that ride into the sunset on their stallions; long, wavy hair blowing in the breeze (the buff blokes hair, not the horses).

And believe me, I don't have long, wavy hair. And I don't have a stallion. And I don't have a sunset to ride into. And I am not lame or cliched. And I am most definitely not a pansy man.

Lily had better forgive me. I am going though a lot for her.

So anyways, I walked up to her (it was an extremely long, uncomfortable walk). My face flushed as I reached Lily's chair. Yes. It _flushed_. Good grief- I'm turning into Ravendork now. James Potter doesn't flush (not very often anyways).

It was probably just hot in the common room, that's why I was flushing. You know, because when you get hot (from the temperature), you get flushed.

Yeah, so anyways, after reaching Lily's chair, I kind of stood there for a second, letting Lily realize I was standing next to her. She didn't look up from her book. But, I knew, she knew, I knew, she knew I was standing next to her. She just preferred to pretend not to notice. I mean, she's not deaf and she isn't blind.

"Hey, Lily."

That's the first thing I've said to her since I ran- left the closet the other day.

Lily glanced at me for a moment before leaning her head back down, over her book. I was beganing to really think the whole "me being flushed because it was hot in here" thing was true because Lily was red in the face too. Huh.

Anyways, Lily didn't answer. Wonderful.

"I got you something." I said. Now, I'd like to say I handed the flowers to her gently, but, it more of a "shove them in her face" sort of thing. What? I just wanted to get rid of the dumb things. I didn't want to hold them.

Lily seemed to be a bit startled at flowers being shoved in her face. She sat up and hesitantly took the roses, her book falling to her lap.

"I don't know if you like roses or not- or even you like flowers at all, but I, uh, just thought-. . .I just thought I'd give them to you." And I walked away. Moronic me forgot to ask her to forgive me while I was there.

I just hope nothing goes wrong.

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"So how'd the flower advice go, James?"

"Don't even ask."

"I just did."

"Sirius, because of your brilliant advice, I found out she has allergies."

"Allergies?"

"Yes. Allergies. She's sneezed for half an hour after I gave her the bloody roses. Finally, I came over and ask her if she was okay. She said she allergies. I took the roses and threw them out the window."

"Oh. Huh. Well, so sorry- Hey, wait a minute. The flowers were suggested by Peter, not _me_."

"You _supported_ the idea though."

"But, I didn't _come up_ with the idea, James."

I suppose giving flowers to fair maidens is reserved only for the lame, cliched, buff, blokes that ride into the sunset with their stallions, long, wavy hair blowing in the breeze (blokes hair, not horse's).

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I decided to give her the jewelry and chocolate at the same time. I kind of felt that maybe with two different things to give her, things would end up even worse than the rose disaster, but, I wanted to get this embarrassing stuff over with. Also, I just want Lily to forgive me. I'm quite tired of all this "I ignore you, you ignore me" stuff.

Back to giving Lily stuff.

This time, I waited until she went outside, somewhere secluded again.

I might like attention from people, but really, I'm not going to and give Lily a whole bunch roses and poems in the Great Hall during dinner, in front of everyone. That's just stupid.

She was outside with Ravendork. They were talking. I decided get Ravendork to leave. Simple.

"Hey, Lily. . ._Andrew_. Nice out today, yeah?"

"Potter, it's the middle of _winter_. How can it be "nice out"?" Fairydork asked me dryly.

"I didn't ask _you_." I replied cooly. I turned to Lily. She hadn't said anything. Instead, she sat watching me and Ravendork "chat". I turned back to Ravendork.

"Do you mind leaving, Ravendork? I need to talk to Lily."

"I do mind, Pothead. Why don't you leave? Lily doesn't want to talk to you."

He did _not_ just call me **Pothead**. "It's funny, Fairyman, because I think Lily can speak for herself. She doesn't need _you_ to talk for her."

It was when we both had our wands out that I noticed something. "Lily?" I called. She had disappeared. We both turned our heads around the grounds, searching for her. Lily's back was seen heading back to the castle.

I jammed my wand back in my pants pocket and called a "See you- Actually, I hope I won't have to see you for a while, Ravendrew!" and jogged to catch up with Lily, my shoulder bag containing the box of chocolate and jewelry (I wasn't going to go around carrying a box of chocolate and a pair of ear rings in my hands, was I?) banging against my side.

"Lily, wait up!"

She didn't stop (of course).

Soon, I caught up with her and continued walking beside her. "I got you something- don't worry, it's not roses or any sort of flowers." Boy, it sure was getting warm out here. I was flushed (again). Funny how it's only around Lily. . .yeah. . .

Lily glanced at me. "James, could you. . .just leave-"

"Can't I just give you something first?"

Lily stopped. ". . .Alright. . ."

I had stopped too and was now pulling out my wonderful gifts (yeah). "Here." I handed her the box of chocolates and the pair of ear rings.

She took them cautiously.

"Please don't tell me you're allergic to chocolate or something." I said.

"Er, no. . ."

That's a relief.

"I, erm. . .I got some lady who worked in the jewelry shop to pick something out for you. If I chose something, it definitely wouldn't be something you would like. . .although, I don't know if you'll like those. . ." I explained, watching Lily examine the items given to her. She held up the ear rings.

"The ear rings are. . .er, interesting." I was surprised she actually said anything. I took this as a good sign.

"Oh, yeah. " I laughed lamely. "Uh, the lady said they were stylish or. . .something."

I had to agree with Lily. The ear rings _were_ quite. . .er, interesting. They were in the shape of minature wands that would shoot out different colored sparks at the their tips every few seconds.

Lily turned her attention to the box of chocolate for a moment before clearing her throat awkwardly and actually looking me in the eye. ". . .Thank you, James."

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Well, it might have seemed like everything turned out fairly well with the ear rings and chocolates: Lily said thank you and actually said a few sentences to me. She looked me in the eye (she looked at me period).

But, things went wrong. Yes. They did.

You see, the sparks that shoot out of the wand? Well, they're _real_ sparks. You know, like the ones that can start fires and all? Well, they did. The sparks caught Lily's hair on fire. Yes, Lily's fiery red hair was literally on fire for about three seconds. Luckily, I thought quickly and was able to send a stream of water to her hair, out of my wand.

The ends of her hair were singed (luckily, that was all).

Meanwhile, Lily had dropped the box of chocolates and the ear rings. They fell to the ground.

And the sparks from the ear rings set the box of chocolates on fire.

That's right. Isn't that nice? That sixteen galleon box of chocolates charred to a crisp. I suppose, if you look on the brightside, it could have been Lily charred to a crisp.

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I brought Lily the poem and book a week later, in the library. You might be wondering why I waited a week before doing this. You might not. I don't know. Anyways, it took me a week to write the bloody poem. That's my excuse.

During that week, Lily did actually look at me when we had conversations (which isn't much yet, but it's a start). She still won't smile or laugh with me. I hate that.

Anyways, back to giving Lily the poem and book.

So, I walked in and looked around for Lily. I was pretty sure she'd be there. She's in the library about sixty percent of the time (how in the world did I fall for a girl who _likes_ the library?).

Sure enough, I found her sitting at a table in the very back of the library, Ravendork no where in sight.

I silently walked up to the table and sat down across from her.

"Hey." I said.

Lily looked up,". . .Hello."

"I came to give you something- and no, it's not roses, ear rings, or chocolates." I added hastily.

Lily raised an eyebrow. I wish she'd just smile or laugh or do _something_. I can't do all the work here.

I slid the book across the table to her. It was entitled: _A Book Full of Books_

Lily's face brightened some at the sight of a book. She took hold of it.

"I, uh, didn't really know what kind of book to get you, so I just got you this. It's just a booklist; you know, it recommends some good books you might like. . ."

She had already opened the book and was skimming through the book. I ran a hand through my hair as she closed the book and looked up, at me. And actually at me, with those green eyes of hers. . .

Her hands were on the table, figiting. Her face was slightly flushed. It _was_ a bit warm in here (my face was flushed too). "Um, thank you, James, really." She paused. "You don't have to go and spend your money on me though. . ."

I rubbed my neck uncomfortably (what do you expect? For me to rub it _comfortably_? I don't think so-. . .whatever). "It's no big deal. Really. You're worth it."

That's when it happened.

She gave me a slow, slightly tight, small, smile. Long time no see. Then Lily nodded.

There was a silence between us. It was sort of the "normal" one we use to have, though, it wasn't entirely.

That's when i remembered the poem. I almost decided to just forget about it (the poem) because everything was going so well right now; I didn't want to risk ruining it now.

But, moronic me came back and I pulled out a small piece of parchment from my shoulder bag. "I've also got this, er, poem thing for you. It's kind of crappy so bear with me." I cleared my throat.

"You have green eyes and, er, red hair. . ."

Oh, this is so humiliating. Lily had better forgive me and fancy me back.

"Your name's Lily and you're, er, a lot like one- a lily flower, I mean-"

Kill me now.

"You're not like most people I know. You be yourself and that's, uh, pretty good,"

Well, I think I've just ruined any chance of impressing Lily by poetry. I think I've ruin just about _any_ chance of impressing Lily, actually.

"You like books and the library. You're really intelligient."

Please just get me out of this cruel, cruel world.

"Your smiles are nice, they're real, not those, er, fake ones."

Please?

"Your laughs are pretty cool too. . ."

_Please_? Just for gillywig's sake, _please_ just get me out of this cruel, _cruel_ world.

I cleared my throat loudly. "Well. Er, that was all."

Okay, so maybe I just gave up on making a real poem and kind of just gave a list of Lily's good qualities. It's the thought that counts, right?

I finally looked up after a few seconds of silence. She was gazing at me in a amazed sort of way, I think.

"That was. . .that was nice, James. . ." She trailed off slowly.

Merlin, it was really getting hot in here!

"'Uh, thanks, Lily. I know it was pretty lame, but, er, thanks for, you know, not saying it was. . .Saying it was lame, I mean."

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I tackled "compliments" a day later during me and Lily's Head's patrol.

The silence between us was starting to go back to "normal". It was really awkward and uncomfortable, but. . .what can I say?

As we walked on a deserted corridor on the third floor, I tried to think up some charming ways to say the compliment.

But, you see, here's the problem:

I couldn't think of any. Oh, I could think up some compliments, sure. That was easy. It was bringing the compliments into a conversation that was hard.

"So, what did you make on your history of magic essay?"

Oh, God. I did _not_ just ask about assignment grades again.

"An O."

"Of course." I said automatically,"I got an E." I paused. "You're so smart, Lily."

"No, I'm not. I just study and take notes. That's all."

Oh. Well. Way to totally mess up my compliment, Lily. "I didn't just mean school, but just everything in general."

Way to bring my compliment back, James. Yeah. Good one.

Lily shrugged lightly.

Silence.

More silence.

And more.

And even more.

This is getting unnerving.

More silence.

And, guess what? More silence!

"Lily, I think you're pretty." I blurted quite bluntly and abruptly.

Well. That wasn't exactly how I planned to say it. That wasn't at all how I planned to say that, actually. I continued in a rush,"I'm not lieing or anything, if that's what you think. I do. I really do. I think you're attractive and you're intelligient and sensible and nice and funny and. . .well, er, yeah."

I snuck a glance at Lily as I walked quickly along the corridor.

Even in the dark, I could see her face heated up. Of course, I'm not one to talk.

Her eyes looked anywhere but at me. ". . .Um, thank you, James. . ."

I saw her crack a small, unsure smile before her head turned away.

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**Author's Note: Guess what, everyone. I am seventy percent sure next chapter will be the last chapter of An Off Course Bet. There is a pretty good chance it will be, but, I'm still a little uncertain on one thing or another, so. . .yeah.**

**Eye Heart Music**


	15. Endings Again

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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_Chapter Fifteen_

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"So. . .I'll see you after the holidays then?" I asked as we stood, waiting for the crowd to move.

Okay, you're probably confused now. Since when was I leaving for the holidays? And who am I talking to? Well, let's turn the time-turner back to yesteryear- I mean, yesterday.

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"Mr. Potter, are you paying attention?"

No. Not really.

"Of course, Professor Mcgongall."

"By staring out the window?"

Yeah. I, you know, pay attention better by looking out windows. Even at meals, there has to be a window nearby so I can concentrate on eating.

"Uh, well, you see, I just saw these big, green, hairy. . .thing. . .-y's. Yeah. And they were really ugly looking."

Mcgongall, along with the transfiguration class, looked out the window. She turned away from the window after a few moments of searching for my mysterious beasts. Her lips were pursed. "I'm not seeing any. . .beasts that you've described." She said dryly. Okay, so maybe Mcgongall isn't that gullible.

I mockingly looked out the window again. A fake surprised look spread across my face. "Oh, my mistake. It's only the Slytherin quidditch team praticing. You really can't tell the difference. . .I mean, they're big, green, hairy, and ugly." I heard snickers.

"I don't remember the Slytherin quidditch team being. . .hairy." Funny, she didn't say anything about not remembering the Slytherin quidditch team being ugly.

"Oh, but they _are_, professor. You just have to look real close." More snickers.

But was Lily one of those snicker- ers?

Yeah, she was.

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"James, why again did you suggest sitting in the library to finish our dream journals? You hardly _ever_ suggest coming to the library. That's what I do." Remus questioned as we four Marauders sat at a rectangular (wood) table finishing our dream journals.

You see, we don't _actually_ write our dreams down in the stupid thing. Writing in a journal is so lame- so. . .so _girl-ish_. Besides, any of the dreams we actually remember are either:

A) Embarrassing.

B) Lame.

C) Nothing but nonsense.

D) Detention-worthy (Yeah, you know what kind of dreams are detention-worthy. Insert suggestive wiggling of eyebrows. They're definitely a lot better than the ones where Christmas tree tinsels strangle you to death)

But, yeah, we don't actually write any _real_ dreams down. Instead, we make them up. I have to say I've come up with some pretty good ones.

I just suggested coming to the library to finish our dream journals. That's all. Why would he think there's some secret reason for coming?. . .well, okay, so maybe I thought Lily'd show up sometime. I mean, the girl's just about _always_ in the library.

"What? We leave tomorrow for Christmas break. I want to get these stupid journals finished before we leave."

Remus didn't believe me, I suppose. I wish he could be gullible once and a while. Things would be so much easier.

"Okay, what color should my murderer be wearing?" Sirius asked.

"Red?"

"No, my murderer last Thursday was wearing red. I need variety!" Only Sirius would describe what _color clothes_ his murderer was wearing.

"Green?"

"Yeah! My murderer could be a leprechaun!"

That's got to be one scary leprechaun. I wasn't being sarcastic either. I was being sarcastic in that last sentence.

"Should I say I dreamt about dragons flying around me singing the Hogwarts school song? Wait. How about I add this: I am naked while they sing and fly around me." Peter added.

"Alright, that's a bad image, mate. I wouldn't add the part about you being naked or the astronomy professor's going to die of heart failure after reading your dream journal."

And. . .in walks my secret reason for suggesting we come to the library. Yes.

I ducked behind my super, duper, huge, dreamy dream journal (it can hide all of my head). I didn't want Lily thinking I only came to the library to see her, did I?

Of course, Sirius just had to ruin my plan and called out to Lily, inviting her to sit with us. Thanks, Sirius.

Lily, surprisingly (and, probably reluctantly too. Sometimes I think she actually _likes_ being alone. . .) walked towards our table and slowly sat down.

"Hello, Lily." Remus said with a smile. I wonder if Remus still fancies Lily (you know, after the whole "asked her out, but ended up just studying with her in the library for years" thing). I doubt it. That he likes her, I mean. If he still fancies her, he'd have, you know tried to ask her out again or something. But, he hasn't.

"Hi, Remus." She replied with one of her smiles.

The rest of us greeted Lily and she greeted us back too. Yeah, there were greetings all over the place.

She pulled out her transfiguration textbook and began working on an essay that probably wasn't due until after the holidays.

"Hey, when's that due?" Peter asked in panic. It was clear he had forgotten about the essay completely.

"The day after we get back from Christmas break." Lily replied, her hand scribbling neatly across the essay. She stopped writing and opened her book, turning pages randomly, looking for something.

I knew it. About the essay not being due till we get back from the holidays, that is.

I began to write out last night's supposed dream.

_Last night I dreamt that I was playing quidditch and the other team players were knickers. Red knickers. We won the game and I was transfigured into a door. A wooden door._

Eh, the more details you give (_red_ knickers, _wooden_ door) the easier the dream is to believe.

"Finished." Sirius said triumphantly, holding up his dreamy dream journal. I grabbed his journal and read last night's entry.

_I dreamt that I was murderered by a leprechaun. He suffocated me with his four-leave clover (it was quite itchy). Then, after I died, my ghost began dancing around the Great Hall._

I handed back his journal. "Pretty good, Sirius."

He leaned over the table and grabbed mine,"Let's see, is yours any better?" He read my entry. And snorted. "Nope. Not any better than mine. Let's face it, James. My dreams are _so_ better than yours."

"We made them up!"

"So?" He asked. He fingered through my previous entries. "James, almost all of your entries have to do with A) knickers. B) quidditch. Or, C) you being transfigured into furniture."

I hastily snatched back my journal. "Oh, stuff it, Sirius. At least _I_ don't get murdered in every other dream I make up! The astronomy professor probably thinks you're some depressed weirdo who thinks about dieing all the time."

"Yeah, she might. But she also might think _you're_ some perverted, quidditch-obsessed weirdo who likes transfiguration."

I heard Remus and Peter snicker. I hissed a quick "shut up!" to them. Lily was still bent over her work, but I could see a rather large smile on her face as she tried not to laugh, it seemed. I hastily ducked behind my dreamy dream journal and pulled charms book out of my bag and pretended to skim through it.

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"You going home for Christmas, Lily?" Sirius asked as we all sat waiting for Peter to finish his dreamy dream journal so we could head out. Lily was just about halfway through with her essay.

"Yes, I am."

"I have a flat, but I'm staying with James." Sirius was rather proud of his flat. Just a tad. Yeah. Right. Just a _tad_.

Lily nodded.

"Tell me, Lily, does a chubby, red-suited, old man actually come down muggle chimney's?" Peter asked.

She looked up from her essay as Remus and I also looked her way curiously.

Before she could answer, Sirius spoke,"Of course not. How could he fit down a chimney if he's chubby? What if there _isn't_ a chimney?" He scoffed.

Remus "pfft"ed. "Maybe he's a wizard! All he'd have to do is place an enlargement charm on a chimney and he'd easily be able to fit through it."

Good answer.

"If this chubby chap _is_ a wizard, then why doesn't he go down the wizarding world chimney's, hmmm? Why does he go down muggle chimney's instead?"

"Because he-"

Let's just say Peter's question was never truely answered since Lily could never say anything because Remus and Sirius were having a very heated debate over whether a chubby, red-suited guy actually goes muggle chimney's. It was quite interesting, I have to admit.

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I sat with Lily at dinner that night.

Alone. . .

. . .well, not really. I mean, we ate in the Great Hall obviously and since there's a few hundred other people sitting right next to you, it's sort of hard to be alone, if you know what I mean. It's just none of my other friends were sitting with me and, uh, none of Lily's friends were sitting with her either. . .even though she has about two friends who she rarely talks to in the first place. . .

Anyways, we sat together at dinner. I was surprised Ravendork didn't show up and glare me to death. But, the point is, he didn't. So. . .yeah. Cough. Cough again. Alright, that's enough coughing. We actually had a few conversations. It kept getting more "normal" between us. I could tell it wasn't going to totally "normal" between us for a long time. . .but, this was a start.

Oh, and guess what else.

Go ahead, guess. . .

Lily and I actually had a _quidditch-related_ conversation. Yeah. Can you believe it? Merlin, I just keep liking this girl more and more. . .

"Did you know the World Cup's going to be held this summer?" I asked, inhaling a piece of bacon.

Lily took a sip of water, I guess. "Yeah, I knew that. It's between England and Ireland, right?"

She even knew the teams that were going to play in the Cup. I think I died and went to James Potter heaven at that second. "Right. Personally, I'm an Ireland fan."

"I don't watch quidditch much, but every once and a while I'll buy a quidditch magazine when I'm bored (quidditch is to be read about at all times, not just when you're _bored_. A point was taken from Lily for say that. I came back to life and left James Potter heaven after she said this). I think I'd have to be an Irish fan as well, though (okay, I died again and went back to James Potter heaven after she said this. Lily also got her point back)."

"I was going to go to the Cup this summer, if I can."

"That's sound pretty cool."

She said that sounded _cool_.

That's just. . ._cool_.

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It was later that night, as I laid in bed, thinking about how cool it was to fancy a girl who liked quidditch (even if she liked the library and books more), when I realized I hadn't even gotten Lily a Christms present. . .

Then I began to wonder if I should even get her a present. Should I? We were still a bit on a knobby broomstick, weren't we? And giving gifts to people was reserved more for your friends and family, right?

Then I thought, who cares? It's not as though I have to get her some really expensive necklace or anything. . .then I thought, but I shouldn't get her something cheap, either. Because, well, that'd be just lame.

So, I laid there for a while, listening to Peter snore and Sirius mumble stuff in his sleep (I swear I heard him say the words "leprechaun", "suffocate", and "four-leaf clover"). Remus was quietly sleeping (of course).

It was just as I _know_ I heard Sirius mumble "leprechaun", "suffocate", and "four-leaf clover" in his sleep, that I came up with a pretty good gift for Lily. . .

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"Oy, move, midget!- Oh. So sorry, Professor Flitwick." Sirius apologized sheepishly as he already moved ahead, elbowing someone in the side and stepping on another someone's foot. Me and Remus and Peter using Sirius as a shield to get through the crowd outside the Great Hall.

We would be leaving for the holidays in about half an hour. Just had to wait for the carriages to take us to the station.

"_Well_." Someone just elbowed Remus.

"Sirius, where are we going?" I asked, gripping my trunk tighter as I felt it being pulled away from me. The pulling stopped. We really didn't have anywhere to go.

I saw Sirius' shoulders shrug,"I don't know. . .why?"

"You sure seem to be in a hurry to get somewhere with the way you're shoving people out of the way."

"Oh, shove off, James."

"You've already shoved me this morning." He'd shoved through me as soon as we stepped in the crowd outside the Great Hall.

"And I'm more than willing to shove you again!"

Well, someone's being Mr. Moodypant's today.

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"Hey, Lily!- Oy, why don't _you_ move?" I called to some bloke who said "move" in a snotty way. He shoved past me. I'd lost sight of the Marauders a few minutes ago. I had caught sight of Lily's back. I walked in her direction. "Lily! Hey- wait!."

I caught up with Lily only to find that, in fact, it wasn't Lily but instead some girl who had red hair. . .yeah. I've made that mistake quite a few times. . .

"Er, hi. . .Bye. . .I've got to go now." I said, giving a small wave to the bewildered, red-headed girl as I back away from her, stepping onto a few feet and knocking into a few shoulders.

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Alright, I know that was Lily. I saw her from the front and that was her. It wasn't some random girl who had red hair.

"Lily!" I called over the crowd.

She turned slightly in my direction, skimming her eyes around the crowd until she spotted me. She made her way through the crowd to me.

"Hey." I said as we finally reached each other.

"Hi, James." Lily said, setting her trunk down next to her.

"Crowded in here, eh?"

"Yeah." She said.

I cleared my throat umcomfortably (what? Am I suppose to clear it _comfortably_?- No. I'm not going through this again) before pulling the gift I'd gotten Lily out of my pocket. I handed over the gift to Lily, who raised an eyebrow as she took it.

"What-"

"It's my Christmas gift to you."

Lily examined it. "Bertie Bott Every Flavored Jelly Beans?"

I ran a hand through my hair. "Uh, yeah. You said you liked them and that day you were, you know, sorting them. . .I know it's kind of a stupid gift-"

"No, it isn't, James." Lily said, pulling the drawstring of the bag of jelly beans and dumping a few beans in her hand. "It's nice." I thought it was a pretty nice gift too. . .what can I say, though? I'm one good gift-giver.

Lily seemed to make some sort of movement towards me. Maybe to hug me? To shake my hand? To _kiss_ me? To hand me some jelly beans? Anyways, whatever she tried to do, it became all of a sudden awkward and she quickly stood still.

"Yeah, well. . ." I trailed off, rubbing the back of my neck.

We stood in silence for a few seconds.

It sure was getting hot in here.

Lily hesitantly held her hand that had the jelly beans, out to me,"Want one?"

"Uh. . .sure." I said, picking up a red one. . .Pretty good. Tastes like strawberries. . .and ice cream.

Lily also popped one in her mouth. I saw her flinch slightly in disgust. "Not good?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"Sorry."

Silence.

Geez, it really is getting hot in here. . .

It was my turn to flinch slightly as someone elbowed my back. In a manly way, of course.

"I feel bad now."

Merlin, that must have been one bad jelly bean.

"Really?" I asked. "What color was it?"

Lily shook her head,"No, I mean, I feel bad because I didn't get you a gift."

"Oh." I said, running a hand through my hair. "That's okay." Alright, what I said next, I had no idea it was coming. "Maybe we could, you know, hang out at Hogsmeade and get me a gift after the holidays together."

See? That wasn't suppose to happen. Nope.

It must have been hot in here for Lily because her face was flushed too. "Um. . .alright. . ."

Alright. . .I just basically got a date with Lily. _Yes_! I can't _wait_ till we get back from Christmas break.

Silence.

"So. . .I'll see you after the holidays then?" I asked as we stood, waiting for the crowd to move.

And back to the present, we are.

"Yeah." Lily replied.

Okay, see, what happens next, it wasn't suppose to happen either. Really, I hadn't meant to do this.

I stepped forward and awkwardly placed my arms around Lily. Yes, I had leaned over and _hugged_ her.

I thought I'd made a huge mistake after feeling Lily tense. Her hands remained at her sides. Oh, great, I've just made the most moronic mistake I could make- actually, kissing Lily in the broom closet was the most moronic mistake I could make, but that's not the point.

Then- get this, get this- she relaxed and- get this, get this- slowly put her arms around me too. Lily Evans _hugged_ me.

And just when I started to enjoy the feeling of Lily in my arms, we were pushed slightly. Apparently, the crowd was starting to head out of the castle- the carriages were here. We pulled away slightly and then. . .huh.

When did that happen?

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Alright, so our unexpected kiss didn't turn into a snog session or anything. I really don't know how long it lasted. Probably just a few seconds. It didn't seem long at all.

I wish it was longer.

And I'm pretty sure Lily did too (no, I'm _really_ sure Lily did too).

You know, that whole bet that Sirius challenged me to went way off course. I mean, I was suppose to be all cool and ask Lily to Hogsmeade, therefore winning the bet. Instead, I end up not being able to ask Lily to Hogsmeade, falling for Lily, and losing the bet.

Then again, it was never about the bet. Not really.

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**Last Author's Note: There is the end. Yes, it's the last chapter. I'm sorry for taking so long to get it up, but here's what happened:**

**Okay, it's three days after I wrote chapter fourteen of this chapter. I sat down, got my laptop and decided to type up this chapter, all enthusiastic and everything. I even did finger exercises (no, not really X D)! Then, it happened. I was totally and utterly _stumped_. I couldn't see the chapter in my head. It was just blank. So anyways, I sat for a while longer before getting really discouraged. After that, I just haven't been in the mood to write. Sad story, huh? LoL.**

**Anyways, I hope you liked the ending. This was sort of a belated birthday present to myself. I turned fifteen last Monday. So, happy belated birthday to me. LoL.**

**Thank you everyone who's read and reviewed!**

**Eye Heart Music**

**P.S. I plan to update Just the Girl very soon (maybe tomorrow if I don't have anything to do, not making any promises, though). I'll also be starting my new story, "Players One and Two" very soon too. Perhaps sometime this week maybe (again, not making any promises). School started for me last Friday (the 18th). Things will be pretty hectic, so I don't know if I'll have time to start it this week. We'll see.**


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